Shaquille O'Neal: The Big Jabbawockee Showing up Big for the Suns

Since the All-Star break, Shaquille O’Neal has been posting up some big numbers for the Phoenix Suns.

A new head coach has taken over since the All-Star break, and both Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire have been out with injuries.

Those things in themselves would have you think that this team is screwed. The only guy with talent is an older and “rusty” Shaq.

Well, Shaq has defiantly proved he isn’t rusty with his recent play. In the last five games he’s averaged 25.4 points a game, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.6 blocked shots in an average of 30 minutes.

His biggest game was Friday against Toronto, when the big man put up 45 points. He also added 11 rebounds and, most importantly, the Suns won the game 133-113. Shaq shot 5-for-8 at the free-throw line, which was huge, and he was 20-for-25 on his field goals.

You could say he got lucky, that he probably couldn’t do it again. Well, he proved that it wasn’t just a coincidence two days later when the Suns played the Lakers.

The usually over-hyped Shaq and Kobe matchup was a big one this time.

After losing to the Lakers on Thursday, the Suns came out to play, including Shaq. He scored 33 points as the Suns went on to beat the Lakers 118-111. Kobe did his fine share of scoring, putting up 49 points that usually gets him a check in the win column.

Shaq playing this good can be dangerous for teams. Hopefully the Suns look at this and use it to their advantage.

Shaq may be getting old in years, but his ability to be a big-time player has never left. The Suns need to get Nash and Stoudemire healthy and maybe they’ll start giving it to the big man to do some major damage.

After a season defined with injury in '07-'08, people thought Shaq was done, but he came in this year proving otherwise. He’s still one of the best centers in the history of basketball, and he’s defiantly the “come back” player of the year.