The Boston Celtics are Shaquille O'Neal's sixth NBA team. (GETTY IMAGES)

Shaquille O’Neal has become exactly what he dreaded: a token NBA center.

This week, O’Neal agreed to terms with the Boston Celtics, his sixth NBA team and fourth in three years. He had previous stops in Orlando, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix and Cleveland. He will make the minimum salary of $1.4 million for the Celtics this season, a far cry from his $20 million contract last year. And he’ll have to come off the bench and back up Jermaine O’Neal – another center well past his prime. Talk about your fall from the NBA pedestal.

Shaquille O’Neal, the self-proclaimed MDE (Most Dominant Ever), the three-time NBA Finals MVP, The Big Diesel, The Big Aristotle and The Big Cactus, has turned into a novelty act. He took a massive pay cut and a reduced role just so he can have another shot at winning a championship. Check that! Just so he can ride on someone else’s bandwagon.

The player once known as the biggest and baddest player on the planet has accepted a small role with the Celtics.

Shaq loves being referred to as The Man of Steel, and despises the fact that Dwight Howard has “stolen” that moniker from him. But Shaq hasn’t been the Superman-like since 2006. He averaged a human-like 12 points and six rebounds last season for Cleveland and when the free agency period began on July 1 there were very little takers for the four-time NBA champion.

Shaq has said more than once that he doesn’t want to be remembered as a guy who hung on too long and played well past his prime. Well, I’ve got news for Shaq. Dude, you are officially hanging on too long.

Patrick Ewing hung on two years too long. He wore the colors of the Seattle SuperSonics and the Orlando Magic the last two years of his 17-year Hall-of-Fame career, the majority of it with the New York Knicks.

Hakeem Olajuwon hung on one year too long. He wore the colors of the Toronto Raptors in the final season of his 18-year Hall-of-Fame career, the majority of it with the Houston Rockets.

And Moses Malone hung on three years too long. He was a bit player for the Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers and San Antonio Spurs in the final three seasons of his 19-year Hall-of-Fame career, highlighted by five dominant seasons with the Rockets and four with the Sixers.

Great NBA players, or great athletes for that matter, just don’t know when to quit. It’s a sad commentary on today’s, as well as yesterday’s, professional athlete. Shaq, who turns 39 in March, has become THAT GUY. He has turned into the player he used to poke fun at when he used to rule the NBA planet. He has become that YMCA baller who hated running up and down fullcourt and preferred to play only 3-on-3 halfcourt. Shaq used to be THE GUY everyone followed. Now, he has become a follower.

Superman has turned into an overweight Clark Kent, and is no longer The Big Headliner on the front pages of the Daily Planet.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Shaquille O'Neal has yet to sign with an NBA team. (GETTY IMAGES)

August is nearly here and Shaquille O’Neal is still a free agent. Not many teams are jumping at the chance to snag The Big Diesel, who is reportedly asking for a two-year deal worth around $8 million. O’Neal will be 39 years old in March and his once imposing presence and larger-than-life reputation has become nothing but a distant memory.

If O’Neal posted his resume on Craigslist it would read something like this: Three-time NBA Finals MVP looking for work …. Funny, outgoing and likes to come up with nicknames …. Prefers to play for a winning program ….  can only work half a season, and preferably just 24 minutes a day  and no more than 150 minutes per week …. Salary: negotiable …. Medical benefits: needs full coverage because of preexisting condition …. Work experience (by city): Orlando, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix and Cleveland …. Unique skills: space eater, hard to move, very strong …. Hobbies: likes to rap and dance (part-time member of the hip-hop group Jabbawockeez: America’s Best Dance Crew) …. References: available upon request.

If he retires now, after 18 seasons, O’Neal will leave with four championships, three NBA Finals most valuable player trophies and 15 All-Star game appearances, and he is second all-time in field-goal percentage at .581.

All those numbers are certainly good enough to put him in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., but they all could have been better.

Shaq says he wanted to leave the game with at least five championships. He won three with the Lakers and one with the Heat, which leaves him one short of his goal. O’Neal could have won more than three with the Lakers, but he wasted a lot of “company time” arguing with Kobe Bryant. He won just one regular season MVP (2000) and never played more than 79 games in each of his eight seasons in L.A.

Although he helped lead the Heat to an NBA title in 2006, it was Dwyane Wade who was named Finals MVP. The last time O’Neal was an MVP was his first year in Miami (2005). From that point on, O’Neal’s scoring average has dropped like the stock market.

His 28,255 points puts him fifth on the all-time list for now, but he could have easily surpassed 30,000 had he not missed more than 5,000 free throws. Last year, he averaged just 12 points and six rebounds – half of what he averages for his career.

There were reports that the Hawks were interested in signing O’Neal, but their interest has diminished. The Celtics, who are in need of big men, toyed with idea of bringing in Shaq to fill the void left by Kendrick Perkins, who is expected to be out until January after knee surgery. Boston ended up signing an O’Neal, but it wasn’t Shaquille. Instead, the Celtics and Jermaine O’Neal agreed to a two-year deal and if Rasheed Wallace comes out of retirement it would be foolish for the Celtics to go after Shaq.

The Spurs were in The Diesel’s radar, but the signing of Brazilian center Tiago Splitter, the best big man in Europe last season, pretty much ended a Shaq-Duncan pairing.

So which teams can afford to fit O’Neal into their plans? Here are seven possible destinations for Shaq:

– New Orleans Hornets: Shaq played at LSU and wouldn’t mind a return to the Bayou. The Hornets have Emeka Okafor as their starting center, but he’s not immune to getting dealt. If the Hornets decide to keep Okafor, O’Neal will have to swallow his pride, take a pay cut and be Okafor’s backup. Not likely to happen, unless Chris Paul tells management that he wants to play with Shaq.

– Milwaukee Bucks: The injury to Andrew Bogut may take a while to heal, so the Bucks are looking to rent a center for a few months. Head coach Scott Skiles still holds Shaq in high regard and has maintained a solid relationship with The Big Aristotle. Shaq would fit right in Milwaukee and be the strong personality in the locker room for the young Bucks.

– Oklahoma City Thunder: OKC acquired 6-11 center Cole Aldrich in the draft, but they certainly wouldn’t mind adding more size to their already very quick and athletic roster. However, Shaq will be a huge liability on both ends of the court and GM Sam Presti may be reluctant to bring in a big personality like the self-proclaimed MDE that would stunt the growth of 21-year-old leaders Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

– Atlanta Hawks: There is still an outside chance that O’Neal signs with the Hawks to bolster their very small frontline. But O’Neal must take less money or else this could be a deal-breaker.

– Boston Celtics: Ditto. If Shaq wants to have another shot at winning a championship ring, the Celtics may be his best opportunity. But, are the Celtics still interested?

– L.A. Clippers: Shaq back in L.A.? Wouldn’t that be something. This would be a longshot given the Clippers’ history of not being big players in the offseason, but bringing in a guy like Shaq would certainly upgrade the Clippers brand off the court. On the court, O’Neal would have to play behind Chris Kaman, but that’s easier said than done. O’Neal’s massive ego may not be able to handle that demotion. But if O’Neal agrees to play second fiddle and takes less money, it would certainly would inject some HGH into the Lakers-Clippers rivalry.

– Cleveland Cavaliers: Another longshot given Shaq’s wish of playing for contender. The Cavaliers’ championship aspirations went out the door as soon as LeBron James said “Good-bye to Cleveland” and “Hello to Miami.” O’Neal played with new Cavs head coach Byron Scott with the Lakers so playing for B-Scott shouldn’t be problem.

And should all of these teams pass on The Big Free Agent, there’s always a spot open with the Jabbawockees.

Shaquille O'Neal performs with the Jabbawockeez at the 2009 NBA All-Star Game in Phoenix. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Popularity: 3% [?]

LeBron James needs to take a deep breath before making a decision on where to play next season. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

The LeBron James free-agent watch is officially ticking.

The moment the Cleveland Cavaliers were eliminated from the 2010 NBA playoffs, all eyes, ears, cameras, binoculars, video players, Twitter followers and Facebook fan pages were fixated on LeBron James and his future. Did he play his last game as a Cavalier? Is he going to New York? Will he sign with Chicago? Is Miami big enough to house LeBron and D-Wade? Can Jay-Z convince LeBron to be the centerpiece of the Brooklyn Nets?

“I have no plans at this point. I’ve made no plans,” said James, who had 27 points, 19 rebounds, 10 assists and nine turnovers in Cleveland’s 94-85 loss to Boston in Game 6.

No one knows for sure where James will play next year. Even LeBron James is not sure where he’ll play next year. It’s all speculation.

“Me and my team will figure out what’s the best possibility for me,” James said. The “Team” James is referring to is his management group comprised of his longtime friends from high school.

Maverick Carter, James’ former teammate at Akron’s St. Vincent-St. Mary High School who currently is employed by Nike, acts as James’ manager. Two other friends, Randy Mims and Richard Paul, are also on James’ payroll. Mims currently serves as James’ personal assistant and road manager and Paul is a “close confidant.” According to The Associated Press, James and his three friends call themselves “The Four Horsemen.”

Sounds like LeBron and his buddies have been watching too many episodes of “Entourage.” Victory!

There Is No Place Like Home

As much as it pains Cavaliers fans their beloved team is out of the playoffs, the disappointment of how the Cavs lost in the conference semifinals could be the reason James stays in Cleveland because he doesn’t want his Cavs legacy to end on an all-too-familiar sad note.

James has lived in the state of Ohio since birth and carries Akron everywhere he goes (three of them to be specific). The man can recite Cleveland’s sad sports history in a heartbeat. He was 2 years old when the Browns allowed “The Drive” to happen and he was 5 when Michael Jordan hit “The Shot over Ehlo.” LeBron is a loyal guy by nature and it would be extremely hard for him to bail out on his people, especially at the way the season ended for the Cavs, and uproot his family to a different city.

Like a smart business man should do, James will keep his options open. He’ll fly from city to city, listen to offers and recruiting pitches from various teams before he makes a decision. He’s got an entire offseason to make up his mind.

“That fact that it’s over right now is definitely a surprise to myself. But it is what it is,” James told reporters. “A friend of mine told me after the game, ‘I guess you have to have to go through a lot of nightmares before you finally accomplish your dreams.’ And that’s what’s going on.”

Cleveland’s worst nightmare is seeing LeBron in another uniform. It would dwarf what Packers fans felt when Brett Favre ditched Green Bay for New York and then later Minnesota. Favre wasn’t the reigning league MVP when he skipped town.

The Cavaliers can offer James the most money and a hometown experience like no other. No athlete in Cleveland sports history, other than Jim Brown, has been more beloved than LeBron. Under the current salary cap restrictions, the Cavs make the most sense financially. The Cavs can offer a maximum deal of $125 million over six years, while other teams are maxed out at five years, $96 million. That’s $30 million on the table James would have to walk away from should he decide to play elsewhere.

“I love the city of Cleveland, of course,” James said. “Another disappointing season, to say the least, but at the same time we had a great time together. We’ll see what happens.”

Chi-Town, Jersey Shore, The Big Apple or South Beach

From a basketball standout, the Bulls are very attractive because they have a collection of young studs  in All-Star Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. But going to Chicago would mean playing in the shadow of Michael Jordan. If James is willing to shoulder that burden, then Chicago becomes a real viable option. Another reason to consider Chicago is if the Bulls hire John Calipari as head coach. But Calipari, who tried to recruit James to play for Memphis, has done the NBA tour once before. Remember the Nets? All you need to know about Coach Cal’s NBA track record is this: he passed on drafting Kobe Bryant and took Kerry Kittles instead. Case closed.

The Knicks have been gearing up for the Summer of LeBron for two years and have gone all in with their chips, hoping the bright lights of the self-proclaimed basketball mecca and Mike D’Antoni’s run-and-gun offense would be good enough reasons for James to move to New York. But why would James go to a place where a championship is light years away? The only way the Knicks lure James to New York is to bring in not one but TWO superstars to play with him. It’s possible, but highly unlikely because the third wheel would have to take a pay cut.

The Heat and Nets are in the same predicament. Both franchises are tied in to what other free agents would do before James even begin to consider them. The Nets are a lottery team and their best selling point is LeBron’s good friend Jay-Z. Miami is attractive in many ways for James, but Pat Riley’s No. 1 priority is to re-sign Wade and rebuild the Heat roster. It would be nice if can get Wade and James to play in South Beach, but I’m not sure if both men are willing to share the spotlight at this stage of their young careers.

And Back to Cleveland

There are a ton of questions the Cavs need to address this offseason. Is this team, the way it is currently constructed, good enough to make a championship run? Will the Cavs bring back Shaquille O’Neal? Is this the end of the line for Zydrunas Ilgauskas? Can Mo Williams handle playoff pressure? Will the team retain Mike Brown as coach?

Expect sweeping changes in Cleveland. Shaq turns 39 next season and the Cavs are not likely to keep two aging centers on their roster. Ilgauskas could return, but he is also considering retirement. And despite two 60-win seasons, Brown is probably out as Cavs coach.

“I really don’t know everyone’s contract situation as far as years and things like that, but we had a great team. We had a really good team and we played hard all year. We just didn’t play consistent basketball, and that’ s why Boston is moving on. For the most part, as a team, we all get along and we had a great year,” James said. “As an individual, I’m gonna continue to get better throughout the offseason like I always do. And I’ll come back a better player next season.”

At the end of a very long offseason, when it is all said and done and “The Four Horsemen” have exhausted all of the party invitations and red-carpet treatment, James will probably stay with the Cavaliers. He’ll probably sign a shorter deal to keep the Cavaliers on championship alert.

What Happens Next?

Here are a few scenarios that could play out:

1) James stays in Cleveland but signs a 3-year deal; 2) Wade stays in Miami but signs a 3-year deal; 3) James convinces Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudemire to come to Cleveland; 4) Wade takes Bosh or Stoudemire (or Carlos Boozer) with him to Miami; 6) James forces Cleveland to hire Calipari, but GM Danny Ferry resigns; 7) Cavs are bounced again in the playoffs and James tells Cavs management to bring back Mike Brown and sign his St. Vincent-St. Mary’s teammates to NBA contracts.

The first domino could fall before July 1 so things could change. But after three years and LeBron is still without a ring, then we’re headed for a summer sequel in 2014. By that time, LeBron and D-Wade could be ready to share the spotlight and play on the same team. Which team? Stay tuned.

Popularity: 6% [?]

The best part about Friday night’s NBA All-Star Celebrity Game was seeing ESPN analyst Jon Barry take a face full of water from a Harlem Globetrotter. The joke was on Barry and it didn’t look like he was laughing when his suit was soaked.

As for the actual celebrity game, there were few REAL celebs in the game with the exception of my man Chris Tucker, Michael Rapapport and Common, who has some game. They should seriously get rid of the Globetrotters for some female celebs. I’d invite Megan Fox and Jessica Alba next year!

Prior to the game, Shaquille O’Neal told ESPN’s Stuart Scott that he would donated $5,000 to charity if Mavericks owner Mark Cuban can make a 3-point shot during the celebrity game. Stu Scott wasn’t about to be upstaged by The Diesel as he matched called Shaq’s $5,000 and raised it to $10,000. Stu Scott must be well paid by the Worldwide Leader. Cuban wasn’t able to come through, and Shaq and Scott were able to keep their wallets intact.

Speaking of Shaq, he said that it was “nice to see Rick Fox and Robert Horry,” two of his former teammates in L.A. But then Shaq said he hadn’t see Fox in 10 years. Memo to Shaq, Fox was your Lakers teammate during the 2004 NBA Finals. Obviously, old age has corrupted The Diesel’s memory bank.

Popularity: 2% [?]

I can’t believe it has been 10 years since Kobe Bryant set up Shaquille O’Neal with that memorable lob pass in Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference finals that resulted in a earth-shaking one-handed slam dunk that changed the landscape of the NBA and ignited one of the best runs in league history. This past decade, from 2000 to 2009, will forever be known as the Shaq and Kobe Era. No two players commanded the spotlight on and off the court better than The Diesel and The Black Mamba. They each have four NBA championships (three of them as teammates), and between them they have four NBA Finals MVPs and two regular-season MVPs and 27 All-Star Game appearances. Their on-court dramatics nearly matched their off-court soap opera. Their legendary feud was the best long running reality TV in the NBA. Bryant and O’Neal head a list of the 10 players, compiled by OneManFastBreak.net, who defined this past decade (from 2000-2009) regardless of position.

10. STEVE NASH, guard: Nash was a very good point man in Dallas and posted some very good numbers. But when he got traded to Phoenix, some media members must have developed some kind of Alzheimer’s because they voted him MVP…twice! Sure, his stats got better and his Suns teams were fun to watch. But Nash’s game hasn’t changed since Don Nelson made him a full-time starter. The knock on Nash is that he’s the only two-time league MVP who has NEVER gotten past the conference finals.

9. DIRK NOWITZKI, forward: Zeeee German has easily been the best European player the past 10 years and is still the only Euro to win the Maurice Podoloff  trophy as the regular season MVP. Nowitzki, who has redefined the power forward position as the “soft” forward position, can sometimes get lost in a physical battle but when he’s allowed to float near the top of the free throw line, he is one of the deadliest shooters the game has ever seen.

8. DWYANE WADE, guard: When Pat Riley drafted Wade in 2003, the fortunes of the Miami Heat turned for the better. Nicknamed “The Flash” by Shaquille O’Neal, D-Wade rose to prominence with his spectacular play in the postseason. He powered the Heat to the Eastern Conference finals in 2005 in only his second season, and then lifted the Heat to a NBA championship in 2006. His place his history was permanently etched when Wade captured the MVP of the Finals with a spectacular series against the Mavericks.

7. CHAUNCEY BILLUPS, guard: His career took off when Larry Brown became the head coach with the Pistons. At 6-3 and well over 200 pounds, Billups is one of the most physical point guards in the league. He overpowers smaller guards and he is deceptively quick enough to get past most PGs. Billups’ crowning achievement came in 2004 when he led the Pistons to a victory over the Lakers in the NBA Finals and was named the series MVP. Nicknamed Mr. Big Shot, Billups is one of the best clutch shooters when the game is on the line and his supreme confidence never wavers.

6. ALLEN IVERSON, guard: From 2000 to 2007, A.I. had all the answers. He was the most dominated little man in the game and a certain Hall-of-Famer. Iverson was an explosive scorer, a player who can had the great ability to overcome any type of defense. All defenders were at his mercy when he isolated at the top of the key. During the decade, Iverson hit the 30-point scoring average five times and was named the 2001 league MVP. He took the Sixers to the NBA Finals that year, but lost to the Lakers in five games. A.I. was also a polarizing figure off the court. He was the poster boy for the Hip-Hop generation with his trademark cornrows and countless tattoos. His “we’re talking about practice!” soundbite has become a timeless loop on SportsCenter.

5. LEBRON JAMES, forward: Even though he came to the party late, LeBron James has certainly left an indelible mark in just seven seasons. He was the most heralded and super hyped high school player to ever enter the NBA, and was tabbed the Chosen One by Sports Illustrated. King James has changed the culture in Cleveland after the Cavaliers made James the No. 1 overall selection in the 2003 draft. James’ arrival gave Cleveland sports fans a ray of hope, something that has been absent for years because of past failures by the Cavaliers, Browns and Indians. In his fourth season, James powered the Cavs to the franchise’s first appearance in the NBA Finals. Then, in 2009, James captured the league MVP, joining Jim Brown, Otto Graham, Brian Sipe, Al Rosen and Lou Boudreau as the only Cleveland pro athletes to be named MVP. LeBron will move up on this list if he ever wins a NBA title.

4. KEVIN GARNETT, forward: The Big Ticket has redefined the power forward position. Before KG, power forwards were like plow horses whose were main jobs were to protect the centers and the guards and, outside of a few guys like Kevin McHale, Charles Barkley and Karl Malone, did most of the dirty work. But Garnett had the unique ability to play inside and outside and could outrun most guards in the open court. From 2000 to 2005, KG’s stat line was 22-12-5. His length was also a huge weapon on defense as he could defend any of the five position players. KG was named regular-season MVP in 2004 and, after getting traded from Minnesota to Boston, won a championship ring with the Celtics in 2008 that pretty much sealed Garnett’s legacy. If it weren’t for the next guy on this list, Garnett would be the No. 1 power forward in the history of the Association.

3. TIM DUNCAN, forward: Nicknamed The Big Fundamental by Shaq, Duncan was a picture of consistency the past 10 years and the foundation of the San Antonio Spurs’ mini-dynasty. Duncan was named regular season MVP in 2002-03, earned NBA Finals MVP in ‘03 and ‘05, and a member of the All-NBA first team seven times. The Spurs were consistently one of the better defensive teams in the league because Duncan was such a great help defender. At times, Duncan was overlooked because his game is unspectacular. But let me ask this? Is averaging 20-plus points, grab 10-plus rebounds and block nearly two shots a game unspectacular? Thought so. My only knock on Duncan is that he was reluctant to play center because of the physical nature of the position. He was more finesse. But I’m not hatin’ on Timmy D. He will go down in history as the greatest power forward in the history of the game.

2. SHAQUILLE O’NEAL, center: Dominant. That’s the best way to describe Shaq, also known as The Diesel, Superman, The Big Aristotle, and The Big Shaqtus. Though he only won one regular season MVP award (2000), you could argue that Shaq was the best player in the Association from 2000 to 2005, and could have easily won five consecutive MVPs. He did, however, manage to win three consecutive NBA Finals MVPs. The only person to ever pull that off is the great Michael Jordan. O’Neal averaged 30.7 points and 15.4 rebounds in 23 playoff games in 2000, and averaged 30.4 points and 15.4 rebounds in powering the Lakers to a record-setting 15-1 mark in the 2001 playoffs. In his prime, and when healthy, no player in the league commanded such big attention as O’Neal did. Sometimes a double was not enough to slow down Super Shaq because he would simply overpower mere mortals who got in his path.

1. KOBE BRYANT, guard: Bryant scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in 2006. Meditate on that one for a few seconds…EIGHTY-ONE points! I never saw Wilt Chamberlain score 100 points in 1962, and no one seems to have any footage of that game. I’ve seen the box score but that’s it. I have Kobe’s 81-point game at Staples Center on my DVR and I still can’t believe a NBA player, while competing against paid professionals, can score that many points. Michael Jordan’s best scoring output was 69 points. Kobe surpassed that in the third quarter! Jordan is the ultimate barometer for today’s NBA superstar. His six NBA championships is considered the benchmark because, let’s face it, nobody is going to beat Bill Russell’s 11 rings. Jordan supporters say MJ was a once-in-a-lifetime player and there will never be another like him. ESPN’s SportsCentury series tabbed him the No. 1 athlete in the past 100 years. Well, obviously those people who said MJ is the greatest is completely ignoring Kobe Bryant.

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Dear Santa:

Last June, I was deprived of a Kobe Bryant-LeBron James matchup in the NBA Finals when LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers were unceremoniously dumped by the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference finals. I know I’ve already asked a ton of gifts this Christmas but I would like one more present. I would like to watch Kobe and LeBron play on Christmas Day.

Sincerely, OneManFastBreak

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Dear OneManFastBreak:

You’ve got your wish.

The main course on the Christmas Day menu that has everyone salivating is the matchup between the Lakers and the Cavaliers at Staples Center (5 p.m. ET, ABC), featuring arguably the two best players in the Association in reigning NBA Finals MVP Kobe Bryant and reigning regular-season MVP LeBron James.

LeBron James will try to uncrown the real king, Kobe Bryant, on Christmas Day.

And, oh by the way, Shaquille O’Neal returns to the city he helped produce three NBA championships – as well as two very bad movies: “Kazaam” and “Steel.”

Ho!…Ho!….Ho!….

L.A. enters the marquee event with a league-best 23-4 record while the Cavaliers carry a 22-8 mark. The Cavs are on the tail end of a four-game trip while the Lakers have barely left the West Coast for two months.

The Lakers – playing in their 36th Dec. 25 game which is second only to the Knicks, who have been scheduled on Christmas 45 times – are 12-6 at home on Christmas and 20-15 overall. The Cavaliers are relative newcomers to the NBA’s long-standing tradition, making only their third appearance on Christmas in the LeBron James era and ninth overall. Cleveland is 5-0 when they play at home and 0-4 on the road.

As much as the general public and the suits at ABC would like this game to be competitive, the reality of it is the Lakers are far more superior than the Cavaliers, and the only thing Cleveland can hang its hat on is the fact that James could have a huge day and single-handedly influence the action.

However, one ace can’t trump a full house.

Ho!…Ho!….Ho!….

With the exception of guard Derek Fisher, who is barely 6 feet tall with shoes on, the Lakers boasts five studs 6-6 or taller: Bryant (6-6), Artest (6-7), Odom (6-10), Gasol (7-0) and Bynum (7-0).

The Lakers’ talent and length have been overwhelming the opposition since stealing Gasol from Memphis in February of 2008, winning a remarkable 109 of 121 regular-season games.

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak is probably not going to get any Christmas cards any time soon from Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley. In fact, Heisley just told me to send over a bunch of coal to put in Kupchak’s stockings.

Needless to say, the Lakers have benefited greatly from the presence of the 7-foot Spaniard, whose high basketball IQ and low-maintenance personality has been the perfect complement to the hard-driven, super-confident Bryant.

In two meetings against the Cavaliers last season, Gasol averaged 20 points and 12.5 rebounds. He made 11 of 13 shots from the field in the Jan. 19 game at Staples, and three weeks later Gasol and Odom combined for 46 points and 29 rebounds in a 101-91 Laker win on Feb. 8.

The Lakers’ frontline thoroughly dominated the Cavs, 104-52, in points in the paint in the two games. Add Artest in the mix and the Lakers will have an even bigger advantage.

Cleveland tried to fix its frontcourt issues this offseason by trading for O’Neal. The problem is, O’Neal’s best days are behind him and his level of play is more in line with DJ Mbenga than Bynum.

Ho!…Ho!….Ho!….

With Shaq no longer Shaq, the Cavs have been leaning Mo Williams to help LeBron on offense. Unfortunately, Williams is more like a starting pitcher than a starting point guard, finding his groove on every fifth day.

So, unless Williams and O’Neal have an out-of-body experience and play out of their minds, expect two things to happen on Christmas Day: the Lakers should dominate the Cavs…again…and Nike will blitz the audience with an endless stream of Kobe and LeBron puppet commercials.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Ho!…Ho!….Ho!….

Sincerely, Santa

Popularity: 6% [?]

A message for Shaquille O’Neal:

It’s been an incredible 18-year ride, Big Diesel. Thanks for the ferocious dunks. Thanks for the MVPs and the championships. And thanks for the great one-liners. You’ve been a huge force in the NBA for nearly two decades, a true dominant center the league may never see again. But, unfortunately, the end is nearing and it’ s time to hang up the sneakers for good. Your skills have diminished and, at times, you’ve been embarrassingly bad. It happens to all of us. One day you’ve got the world on your fingertips and the next you’re sitting at home in your lazy chair watching CNN World News Tonight. Based on your career low in points (11.2), rebounds (6.6) and field goal percentage (52.6), you just don’t have it any more.

Shaquille O'Neals 18th season in the NBA could very well be his last. The Diesel is averaging career lows in points, rebounds and field goal percentage.

Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer recently wrote:

If anyone just watched this one Cavs game, and plenty of people in Houston did including some that know a lot about basketball, you could come to the conclusion that Shaquille O’Neal’s time is over. In truth, he looked terrible in this loss. It was the first time this season he looked this way. This on a day when he was playing against a 6-6 center in Chuck Hayes, a game where most thought he put the Cavs over the top.

After shooting the ball pretty well in the preseason, Shaq has not been as effective as in the regular season. A prime issue is that he just doesn’t get much lift on his shots. This is not a new problem, but Shaq has not compensated for it by adding loft to his hooks. He continues to shoot them they way he did five years ago, like a line drive. Like his free throws. But when your arm is more than 11 feet in the air, like it used to be, you have a better chance than when it is just over 10 feet in the air. The angle doesn’t work as well. But beyond that, he’s missing easy layups and he has been for several weeks now.

When you ask Shaq about this he gives a standard answer, which is he is no longer a focus of the offense and he isn’t looking to take 20 shots a night. That he wants to come in an be a complementary piece. That is what he’s been saying since day one and it is also true. But that doesn’t explain why his shooting percentage is down nearly 10 percent this season.

Shaq has been very effective for the Cavs in certain ways. He has directly helped the Cavs defend the paint, score more points in the paint, free shooters and keep opponents honest. He has shown against some big centers what his value is. It is not fair to look at this game, the second night of a back-to-back, and make a proclamation. I am sure that is what some will do. But it is fair to point out where he’s struggling right now and this game showed it.

And it’s not just the writers who think Shaq’s done. His own teammates think he’s done.

LeBron James said: “While [O'Neal] was out, things flowed because we were playing loose and we had a certain lineup going. We haven’t had enough games with him in the lineup and coach is figuring out the best lineups to play. So, it still is an adjustment period.”

Translation, according to the Cavs’ franchise player, Cleveland doesn’t need the 37-year-old future Hall-of-Famer. At least not this old, broken-down version of The Big Aristotle. The expiration date on this old, spoiled athlete says: must use by 3-30-09. The Cavs are now realizing that Shaq’s usefulness is done and it’s time to dispose their big offseason pick-up and eat his big, fat contract for a year.

“I felt pretty good, I missed a couple chippies,” said O’Neal after a loss to the Charlotte Bobcats.

“We made a lot of silly mistakes and we had multiple chances to win,” Shaq added.

Those quotes are Shaq’s favorite over the years. Anytime his teams lose a game, he goes to the “I missed a couple of chippies” and “we made a lot of silly mistakes” cards. He said it when he was Orlando, he said it when he was a Laker, he said it when he was in Miami, and he said it when he was in Phoenix.

It’s the same song and dance with O’Neal and his act is growing old.

Time to leave the stage and take your final bow, Shaq.

Sincerely,

OneManFastBreak Editor

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Shaquille O’Neal loves to give nicknames and enjoys tossing around slogans.

The latest gem from the Big Quotatious was the comment he made about him and fellow Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

When 7-foot-1 O’Neal was asked about his relationship with 7-foot-3 Ilgauskas, the Cavs’ longtime center until this season, Shaq said, “Myself and [Ilgauskas], we are the best center in the game.”

O’Neal has started every game for the Cavaliers this season and Ilgaukas has spelled him time, but the Diesel doesn’t think he has to do the job all by himself. At 37, Shaq realizes that he can’t dominate a game for 40 minutes and has to pick his spots.

This is where he believes having Big Z as the backup helps the Cavaliers.

“I realize we’re gonna share minutes, so it’s vital we go out there and give it all we got,” O’Neal said. “It’s good to have an excellent big man like him as the backup.”

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Don’t blame Shaquille O’Neal for the Cavaliers’ slow start.

Kevin McHale talked about Cleveland’s early-season woes during TNT’s postgame show on Thursday and hopefully Cavaliers coach Mike Brown was listening. McHale said the Cavaliers’ biggest problem on offense is spacing.

McHale pointed out that power forward Anderson Varejao does not have the shooting range to stretch a defense, and because of this the Cavaliers are having a hard time stretching the defense and their first two opponents – Boston and Toronto – basically packed the paint. Both teams were daring Varejao to beat them from the outside and Varejao did not make enough shots to force the Celtics and Raptors to adjust their defense.

Cavaliers forward Anderson Varejao has not meshed well with center Shaquille O'Neal after two games.

McHale explained that Varejao is not a pick-and-pop player. He’s more a pick-and-roll guy, and when he dives to the basket he ends up clogging the lane with Shaq.

Throughout his career, O’Neal has played with forwards who can make an 18-footer: Horace Grant, Robert Horry and Udonis Haslem. When O’Neal was in Phoenix, he ran into the same issues with Amare Stoudemire. Stoudemire prefers to roll the basket instead of popping out to the top of the circle, creating a logjam in the 3-second area.

In their two losses, the Cavaliers shot just 37% and have yet to score more than 92 points. For O’Neal to be effective in their offense, the Cavs need a 4-man who can consistently make jump shots.

The quick solution would be to have LeBron James play power forward, have Anthony Parker and Mo Williams in the backcourt and insert Jamario Moon at small forward. Or, when Delonte West returns, coach Mike Brown can play West and Williams in the backcourt, move Parker to small forward and have LeBron at power forward.

The bottom line is, Varejao and Shaq can’t be on the court at the same time.

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The acquisition of center Shaquille O'Neal gives Cleveland a low-post presence and a four-time world champion. (GETTY IMAGES)

I’ve always believed that if LeBron James ever got another superstud to play alongside with, the Cleveland Cavaliers will be NBA champs. Since 2003, when the Cavaliers made James the face of their franchise, the Cavs are still searching for LeBron’s super sidekick.

Carlos Boozer would have been that superstud, but he didn’t stay long enough to see James grow into the most valuable player in the league. Drew Gooden was a nice replacement, but he’s not exactly the kind of low-post presence who commanded double teams. The Cavs gave Larry Hughes $70 million to be LeBron’s wingman, but he failed miserably and couldn’t stay upright long enough to make any kind of an impact. Mo Williams is the latest player to wear the “second-fiddle hat,” but he greatly disappointed Cleveland during the Eastern Conference finals against Orlando.

Now, enter the Shaq Fu.

Cleveland and Phoenix recently finalized a deal that sent 15-time All-Star Shaquille O’Neal to the Cavs in exchange for the expiring contracts of Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic, a second-round pick and cash. The O’Neal deal is a clear indication that GM Danny Ferry is doing everything in his power to please James and try to piece together a team he believes can compete for an NBA title.

Ferry feels that having O’Neal’s 7-1, 350-pound mass in the post can help diffuse some of the issues the Cavs had with Orlando center Dwight Howard, who was too quick for Zydrunas Ilgauskas and too big for Anderson Varejao. The Diesel can also take some pressure off James on offense. LeBron can take some possessions off and dump the ball in the post to Shaq, who is still an effective low-post scorer evidence by his 17-point average last season and his 60% shooting percentage.

The downside of the O’Neal deal is that the Diesel is down to his final gallon on his tank. He turns 38 in March when the postseason begins to heat up, he is injury-prone and his pick-and-roll defense has gotten worse and worse as he gets older. Shaq also will take up some of LeBron’s driving space in the painted area and he does not finish around the basket with the same ferocity.

Another potential problem that could surface is the Mike Brown-Shaq-LeBron power struggle. If LeBron is the king of Cleveland then Shaq won’t settle being the lead general of the troops, which means Brown’s voice will mean little in the Cavs’ huddle. Shaq is the stepson of a military father. He grew up in an environment where positions, titles and accomplishments are of great importance.

In L.A., Shaq trusted Phil Jackson because Jackson had the rings to earn that trust. In Miami, Shaq pushed Stan Van Gundy out of the way because he couldn’t see himself take orders from a guy who has never won an NBA title. As soon as Pat Riley took over the Heat, Shaq gathered the troops and followed Riles all the way to the Finals.

Ferry has done his part in delivering a big piece to Cleveland’s championship puzzle. Now, it is up to Coach Brown to make it work on the court.

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