I was coached to move, to screen, to make the game fluid, not have the best player pound it inside while the rest watched the shot clock tick down hoping he will pass it to me. The great Lakers teams you refered to play nothing like the Hakeem's Rockets so I'm not exactly sure what you were taught or how you believe the game should be played. If you are talking about effective, then sure, but so is Shaq and his thuggery.
Shaq is actually a pretty skilled and willing passer as evidenced by this year's playoffs. He could have forced the issue and put up 20 shots a game but he took what came to him and passed out of the double-team. And for his career his averages a shade more assists than Hakeem. In addition, you are focusing on the fat Shaq. Shaq in his first 10 years or so in the league was a rare combination of size, agility, and skill that only Wilt could probably match. However, he's a dying breed as a true center which doesn't suggest the impact on the game, officiating, rule changes... as you claim.
Great, throw in teams like Memphis and Sacramento and you have at least half the playoff teams that we agree play good team basketball. Sounds like the game is still in good shape, rewards team play and not all about "show and one-one moves to the basket and dunks" or that we should be concerned about the sports progression.
The assumption that you missed is that I meant pure AND holds interest. Hockey is up there with cricket in terms of popularity nowadays. I'll send you some "rock anemones" as a prize. Just post your address.Not much of a "dare". Easy answer. HOCKEY. There is no other sport that I play or watch that has the level of individual skill, speed, passing, and "team" mentality at the professional and even league/amateur level.
Now that I took you up on your "dare", what do I win?:lol: [/B]
....ohh, and don't forget, next time shoot at a basket just bigger than the mini-ball 
