Is Shaq a good sign for C’s? YEA: Age and experience win out in the NBA playoffs

Think back 15 years ago, Celtics fans – long, long ago, in a galaxy not that far away – although, amenity-wise, the Old Gahhden may have seemed that way to opposing players.In their last season at the old barn on Causeway Street, the Green faced an Orlando Magic team led by two young guns nicknamed Shaq and Penny in the first round of the playoffs.The Magic ousted the C’s and zoomed to the NBA Finals. Yet a curious thing happened to Shaq and Co. in the title round. The defending champion Houston Rockets, a squad of old pros headlined by Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon, made the Magic disappear in a four-game sweep.It has ever been thus in the National Basketball Association. Come playoff time, the veterans have the edge over the phenoms. And that is why Celtics fans should celebrate their team signing an older, wiser Shaq a decade and a half later.This past season, Shaq tried to help LeBron James get a ring with the Cleveland Cavaliers. It didn’t work out ? but Shaq’s game revealed two assets that a veteran brings to a club.First, the more time you spend in the league, the better you get at what you’re already good at. When you’re 7 feet 1 inch tall and weigh 325 pounds, one thing you might be good at is dominating under the basket. That is what O’Neal showed to poor Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs, outfoxing him for a dunk with a spin move Shaq described to the media as the “Diesel Truck With No Brakes.” His totals for the 24 minutes he played in Game One: 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting, 5 boards, 3 blocks. This is an inside presence the Celtics badly needed during their playoff run, when it sometimes seemed the opposing net was the size of one of the holes at Gannon Golf Course.The second benefit of a long career is that you have more time to improve on your weaknesses.For Shaq, that weakness has historically been free-throw shooting, and when the C’s faced the Cavs in the Eastern Conference semifinals, they played against him with that in mind. Yet he had the ability to surprise. Recall what happened just before halftime of Game Six. Rajon Rondo fouled Shaq – who promptly made two to tie the score at 47.Rondo, who had free-throw woes of his own in the postseason, might get the benefit of some perspective from Shaq on how to conquer the demons at the line.The media have been having a lot of fun over the aging Shaq joining the elder statesmen of the Big Three, all of whom are in their 30’s. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat are the new super-team thanks to their collection of young talent in LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.Not only does the media disrespect their elders, they also ignore history. Young superstars like Dwight Howard and LeBron have come up short when their teams went to the Finals, while the ones who keep winning year after year are seasoned pros like Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan. In this way does the NBA mirror real life, where it’s cool to be a senior citizen.Aretha Franklin sang at President Obama’s inaugural festivities ? Warren Buffett is still going strong at Berkshire Hathaway ? and Betty White is winning over audiences on SNL.Seniors today are winning some R-E-S-P-E-C-T, as Aretha would say ? and so should Shaq and the rest of the Celtics’ senior circuit.Rich Tenorio is an Item copy editor