Sadly, and maybe quite happily, we just might have more Steve Kerr, “Steve Wonders” segments back on TNT next year, and as it may be his regular gig again, in his first installment, I’m pretty sure he’ll be wondering, “why didn’t I turn Marion and Banks into Big Ben, Szczerbiak, and Delonte West with a side of Joe Smith…”

Last night, the Suns actually struggled until the last 3 minutes or so against the Mike Miller-less Memphis Grizzles.  At the end of the third, while Shaq had his –meager- double-double, Darko Milicic had 15 and 7.  Darko!!!!, Outscored Shaq and the Grizzles just didn’t have enough down the stretch without Miller but DAM!

The Lakers meanwhile got down 27 to 12 against the Trailblazers minus the stellar Brandon Roy, and then overtook and overwhelmed the shorthanded Blazers. (Note: if you didn’t know, the Lakers are minus Radmonovic and Ariza…and oh and that Bynum guy) …

Now tonight as the Suns and Shaq put the finishing cosmetic touches on this game in another double digit loss, this time to the Hornets, to me it is obvious, the Suns have made a mistake. 

Seriously, how much do the playoffs really slow down now days?  While the Spurs do end up with low scoring games, they still have quick passers and sharpshooters.  They also hack, flop, and cajole their way around sometimes as well…hmmmm, that sounds su####iously like the Suns But going back to my main point, how can Shaq possibly help the Suns FOR REAL in the playoffs?  By lowering their free throw percentage?  By hacking the other team, getting hacked, and ultimately slowing the game down so much for the Suns that their largely flawed group of extras get totally exposed?  He’s too big to flop a lot, his hacking is thunderous and usually obvious, and when he does flop, he almost takes his own teammates as well as the other team.  Let’s ask Dallas how much Dampier helped against a team like the Warriors as well...

I am not sure how I feel about seeing Shaq actually literally look like a CACTUS during the game, but his true impact is inflated when you talk on a consistent basis because the negatives of Shaq’s game are overtaking the positives. 

The Hornets and Chris Paul may get a little kick out of this game and get it rolling again…

With Yao down, -and in now the saddest BIG MAN GOING DOWN story of the year since Zo went down with the patella tendon tear along with Bynum's knee injury-, Houston can survive, and play quicker, and might actually be better at it at times.  

To finish, the obvious will not be stated as the West is Wild…okay sorry…