Shaq vs Kobe: Again
For a few years, most notably on Christmas Day, the NBA shoved the Kobe/Shaq saga down our throats. When O’Neal’s Miami Heat lost all sense of relevancy, we were given a reprieve from the tired storyline … and now, of course, it’s very much back.
Tonight, Shaq makes his debut in a Suns uniform and guess who’s in town to greet him?
Thankfully, Shaq is downplaying the matchup against his former nemesis and head coach.
On the eve of Shaq’s much-anticipated Phoenix debut — and on the eve of another reunion with his former Lakers running mates — Shaq spoke in such glowing terms of Bryant and Jackson that it appears this once dysfunctional relationship has transformed back into a love triangle.
Don’t tell any of that to the ESPN hype machine, though. They’re broadcasting the game tonight, and with O’Neal having joined LA’s most bitter rival, expect plenty of flashbacks to those wild Laker days of the not-too-distant past. Should be fun. Or not.
(While on the subject of ESPN: I hope Bill Walton has the guts to show up to the arena tonight after the war of words the two big men recently engaged in. That could make for tremendous theater.)
56 Responses to “Shaq vs Kobe: Again”
Feb.20 at 1:06 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
The best thing about Shaq these days is his “Reno 911!” mustache. Apparently he’s taking this whole police thing a little too seriously.
Feb.20 at 1:09 pm
May says:
mayyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Feb.20 at 1:11 pm
JohnnyRebel says:
I say Lakers win!
Feb.20 at 1:11 pm
Myles Brown says:
…..
Feb.20 at 1:13 pm
rob stewart says:
I’ve never been so excited for the overall second half of the NBA. And they ain’t even through trading yet
Feb.20 at 1:15 pm
Tariq says:
Bill Walton is a fugazi.
Feb.20 at 1:17 pm
peteb80 says:
Shaq’s first 6 fouls in a Phoenix jersey! I’m so excited!
Feb.20 at 1:17 pm
RV says:
i think he looks like the guy who played Lisa’s father on Fresh Prince..
Feb.20 at 1:18 pm
Slick Nick Da Ruler says:
I hope Shaq-Fu breaks a basket during warm up, the game is delayed, and Bill Walton has to fill dead air. Please…
Feb.20 at 1:18 pm
shakey handle says:
superman!!!
Feb.20 at 1:21 pm
riggs says:
people still say fugazi?
Feb.20 at 1:27 pm
Reggie Evans says:
If Gasol picks up quick fouls tonight, Lakers might be in a little bit of trouble.
Feb.20 at 1:28 pm
DP says:
I haven’t seen Bill Walton since Shaq made that extremely hilarious comment about him. Luke Walton wants revenge Shaq, and I except Luke Skywalker to score over 25 points tonight in honor of his dad. hopefully. play wit it.
Feb.20 at 1:33 pm
Myles Brown says:
“I don’t take anything personal,” O’Neal said. Ill take Mind Numbingly Ridiculous Statements for $500 Alex….
Feb.20 at 1:35 pm
Darksaber says:
shaq and that bloody Fumanchu. priceless
Feb.20 at 1:38 pm
DP says:
Bill Walton is going to dunk on Shaq’s ass one day. and you heard it hear on slamonline.com first. Where crazy ass ideas happen. play wit it.
Feb.20 at 1:58 pm
J-Bird says:
DP is an idiot, play wit it.
Feb.20 at 2:12 pm
Jukai says:
This match is filled with pure win.
Feb.20 at 2:34 pm
Tariq says:
riggs: No, they don’t.
Feb.20 at 2:35 pm
Tariq says:
But their war of words reminded me of the K-Mart/Tim Thomas effeminate tiff from a few years back.
Feb.20 at 2:38 pm
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
If Shaq can stay on the court more than 25 minutes Suns win, no way in Utah Gasol can guard the Daddy.
Btw what are the odds that either Shaq or Raja read/heard of the “Bullseye-pinkie”-story here on Slam the other day. I would worry about my claw if I was Kobe.
Feb.20 at 2:51 pm
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Please Shaq, hire Reggie to poison Hippie Bill Bucktooth, then turn him in afterwards. Then all the eardiseases people suffer because of their horrendous babling would come to an end and you would get rid of Bill.
Feb.20 at 2:59 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
If one were to believe everything that Shaq and Kobe said about one another, one would have to conclude they were suffering from some sort of low-grade amnesia.
Feb.20 at 3:04 pm
tike says:
hahaha im with your Russ whats with that stache hes sporting….doesnt Shaq know that nobody likes COPS….oh PHX by alot tonight oo
Feb.20 at 3:20 pm
Reggie Evans says:
@Russ - Phil Jackson forgot everything he wrote, too.
Feb.20 at 3:28 pm
Reggie Evans says:
Just got back from lurking on the Phxsuns.net site - why do Suns have so much hatred for the Lakers? They’re talking about humiliating Kobe and peeing on Phil’s ashes, and not just one of em, most of the fans seem to have that loathing … Most Lakers fans just want the win…strange scary violent PHX fans …
Feb.20 at 3:29 pm
Reggie Evans says:
*Suns fans, not the Suns
Feb.20 at 3:31 pm
The Notorious King says:
starting to think the nba is fixed
Feb.20 at 3:48 pm
Reggie Evans says:
I love how over at ESPN, anytime a question begins with “Will Bynum do such and such …?” creates a link to the Will Bynum player profile.
Feb.20 at 3:49 pm
Myles Brown says:
Reggie Evans, I saw you last night in the 76ers locker room and you look just like Omar from The Wire…you thought it was funny too.
Feb.20 at 3:59 pm
tenorca says:
I am now afraid of Reggie. Very, very afraid. Oh, and Phoenix wins by 15, Kobe plays a half game, and Shaq goes for 15 and 15. Dare I say “play wit it”?
Feb.20 at 4:12 pm
Tuomas says:
One of the very few things coming out of Walton’s big mouth that I actually somewhat agreed with. But only somewhat.
Feb.20 at 4:21 pm
TADOne says:
Reggie Evans is still playing?
Feb.20 at 4:24 pm
Dutch Rich says:
Shaq is not the guy you build a franchise around. He’s the missing piece. He’s the anti Bill Russell.
Feb.20 at 4:42 pm
Jukai says:
He wants everyone to call him the Big Cactus now. Cause he STICKS to people.
Feb.20 at 4:49 pm
Tuomas says:
Unfortunately, Bill Walton and his so-called dayjob is also an insult to people who think.
Feb.20 at 4:54 pm
Tuomas says:
*are*, dammit!
Feb.20 at 5:08 pm
Krayzie Bone says:
the difference between miller and walton is that walton is hillarious. Bring back steve jones!
Feb.20 at 5:17 pm
Gerard Himself says:
haha wow, didn’t see that war of the words between Walton and Shaq. Interesting.
Feb.20 at 5:20 pm
FLUXLAND says:
YO King! Took you this long, dude? Oh well, better late then never.
Feb.20 at 6:19 pm
tealish says:
Come on Shaq, Bill Walton is just saying it as he sees it. And unfortunately, I think he’s right on this one. I guess you just got to prove them wrong. But don’t you remember the good old days when you were a Laker and making annual Finals trips? “THROW IT DOWN, BIG MAN. THROW IT DOWN!” That in itself should give Bill a lifetime free pass.
Feb.20 at 7:42 pm
Bubba Chuck says:
Amare vs. Gasol
Feb.20 at 7:43 pm
Jukai says:
It’s amazing how drastically things have changed in the COMMENTATING side of things. TNT used to have an amazing cast with Marv and Collins and Kerr…. now Kerr is gone messing up Phoenix and I never see Marv Albert anymore. Not to mention Miller taking his place! God! I honestly didn’t mind Miller when he was with Chuck and Kenny… I thought he brought balance… but jesus he is annoying! Now I’m in love with ESPN with Walton occasionally taking the seat, but Jackson and Barry are great, and Van Gundy is such a better commentator than he was coach. Although I hate that chick commentator. Who IS that anyway?
Feb.20 at 10:07 pm
mike says:
this game must be a big deal, they are televising the starting lineups.
Feb.20 at 10:14 pm
RV says:
shaq nust have read Russ’ comments…he shaved..
Feb.20 at 10:14 pm
RV says:
gasol 1st foul 45 seconds in..
Feb.21 at 12:32 am
vmcb says:
man shaq just killed raja…
Feb.21 at 1:00 am
Logan says:
LAKERS BABY!!!!! KOBE!!!!
sorry…just excited for this season now..
Feb.21 at 1:04 am
jay says:
what an interesting game, very thrilling.
Feb.21 at 1:24 am
RV says:
i think it looks promising for the suns, the Lakers played really well so the loss doesn’t mean the trade was a failure, shaq took a while to be extra assertive and he was trying to be showtime instead of run and gun a few times..
Feb.21 at 2:17 am
Logan says:
can someone tell me why the Lakers are wearing away colors on their home court?
Feb.21 at 3:14 am
Chris Duddley's free throw says:
because they playing in Pheonix
Feb.21 at 4:05 am
Logan says:
aah yeah…just saw that…
Feb.21 at 5:04 am
Dark says:
Jukai, that female commentator might be Swin Cash . . . she’s the only one I remember doing the ESPN NBA shows. If so, I agree that listening to her commentary is painful.
Feb.21 at 7:16 am
Tuomas says:
At least Swin Cash (if it is her, I haven’t seen the commentator) is hot, not exactly the case with Miller and Walton.
Feb.21 at 12:31 pm
Allenp says:
Marv always calls games on TNT. Typically with Mike Fratello and Reggie.