Artis Answers Questions From Readers
QUESTION:
Artis: if you were playing against Shaq, what would you do on defense and how would you come at him on offense?
ARTIS ANSWERS:
The rules of engagement haven't changed very much from the earlier years when I played the league. The best offense players are frequently not matched against each other in games. The key reason is to prevent foul trouble for offense threats, especially with big men during the early stages of the games. Of course, as the game moves forward there are occasions where the big guns go head-to-head. If I were to have had the opportunity to face Shaq I would work to prevent him from catching the ball on the box near the basket. That would mean using phyical strength to force him to catch the ball further away from the basket, and to make him use more energies on all attempts to receive the ball on offense. Many centers simply don’t have the power to do that with Shaq, but hat was exactly the type of physical game I was able to play for many years and I certainly believe that would be my edge against him.
A-Train
May 31, 2006
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