"The Celtics traded Kendrick Perkins because they were convinced Shaquille O'Neal could be a more-than-adequate replacement at center and the team would flourish offensively.

That move backfired as O'Neal was limited to 37 regular-season games and two in the postseason. His sore right Achilles' tendon and foot flared up after a brief appearance in Game 4, and yesterday served as a time of reflection on O'Neal's storied career.

Coach Doc Rivers acknowledged the Shaq experiment was a failure. The organization unwisely depended on a 39-year-old who had played nearly 50,000 minutes. The Celtics never had a healthy presence in the middle and their lack of interior defense was a primary reason why they were eliminated by the Heat, 97-87, last night in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals."