O’Neal already was having a low-impact night by his and most observers’ standards — four points, six boards in 12 first-half minutes — when he picked up his third and fourth fouls in rapid succession in the third quarter. Out he came, logging just 2:10 in that period. In the fourth, with the Cavaliers’ work largely done and facing a back-to-back game against Charlotte Saturday, Brown used O’Neal for another 4:35. Done.
But it wasn’t just the big guy’s play on the court that raised some eyebrows. It was the rest of the Cavs’ play when he wasn’t out there. They looked good. As good as … old.
We need to limit shaq to about 15 minutes a game. Leave him out there just enough to disrupt the other team’s offensive flow and then put big Z back in there.