By Matt Schuler
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Here once again and right on time like always is your weekly basketball report about the Lake Show and news sound bites from around the NBA, or should I say “At The Buzzer” like usual.
Kobe vs. Shaq
The Los Angeles Lakers will take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in a Christmas evening Holiday match-up, but all the talk and focus will be on the re-united rivalry between Kobe Bryant and Shaquile O’Neal. The two have created this media feud ever since the dynamic duo, which brought LA three consecutive titles from 1999-2001, went their separate ways when the diesel was traded to the Miami Heat to acquire present Laker staple Lamar Odom and several other stiffs.
It started even before Kobe and Shaq failed to get a Championship along side the likes of Hall of Famer’s Gary Payton and “The Mailman” Karl Malone. Bickering between the two superstars emerged as clashes about who should be the face of the franchise ultimately destructed the tandem that could not be stopped for a three year period. Phil Jackson was not sure if he wanted to coach the Lakers anymore and Shaq was not sure if he wanted to play for the Lakers. So O’Neal was dealt to the Heat where he played for former show time Coach Pat Riley.
This Rivalry has taken place in many forms. They were feuding teammates in LA, individual nemesis when Shaq was with the Heat, and battle rappers when the Diesel free styled about how Kobe could not win a Championship without him when he was with Phoenix. Now the rivalry is rekindled after Shaq joins a team with another young superstar in Lebron. Christmas Day should be interesting. Tip off is set for 2:00 PM on ABC channel 7.
Some critics feel that Cleveland is a good fit for O’Neal who has won three titles with Kobe and one with all star guard D-Wade. Now that Shaq is paired up with the player that a lot of experts claim is the Resurrection of Michael Jordan in LeBron James, they get a sense of potential given that O’Neal plays well behind the 1-2 punch of a Guard and Center combination. The question is will his health hold up and can the Diesel still contribute like he used to? 30 points and 15 rebounds seem highly unlikely given the numbers he has produced in recent games. So get ready for a Kobe vs. Shaq Christmas present wrapped with a neat LeBron bow, nestled under the Christmas tree of the NBA’s dramatic holiday games.
Reminiscing anybody?
In August 2004, the NBA scheduled the Lakers and Heat to play on Christmas Day. The game became one of the most hyped in NBA history, and registered the NBA’s highest regular season TV since 1998 until a 2008 Christmas match between the Lakers and Celtics.
Before the game at center court O’Neal gave Bryant a small, physical gesture. After the tip off Bryant drove into the lane on his first two possessions, being rejected by O’Neal on one attempt and scoring on another. O’Neal ended up fouling out late in the fourth quarter of the game, but got the last laugh when his team won in overtime. The potential game-winning shot for the Lakers was missed by Bryant as time expired.
Bryant and O’Neal met twice more that season, once during the NBA All-Star Game and once when the Lakers played the Heat on March 17, 2005. In the 2005–06 seasons, the Lakers and Heat split the season series with each team winning one game.
December 25, 2004: Miami Heat 104, Los Angeles Lakers 102 F/OT
Shaquille O’Neal: 24 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists
Kobe Bryant: 42 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists
March 17, 2005: Miami Heat 102, Los Angeles Lakers 89
Shaquille O’Neal: 25 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists
Kobe Bryant: 26 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists
December 25, 2005 Miami Heat 97, Los Angeles Lakers 92
Shaquille O’Neal: 18 points, 17 rebounds, 3 assists
Kobe Bryant: 37 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists
January 16, 2006: Los Angeles Lakers 100, Miami Heat 92
Shaquille O’Neal: 18 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist
Kobe Bryant: 37 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists
February 20, 2008: Los Angeles Lakers 130, Phoenix Suns 124
Shaquille O’Neal: 15 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists
Kobe Bryant: 41 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists
November 20, 2008: Los Angeles Lakers 105, Phoenix Suns 92
Shaquille O’Neal: 15 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist
Kobe Bryant: 24 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists
February 26, 2009: Los Angeles Lakers 132, Phoenix Suns 106
Shaquille O’Neal: 12 points, 7 rebounds, 0 assists
Kobe Bryant: 22 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists
March 01, 2009: Phoenix Suns 118, Los Angeles Lakers 111
Shaquille O’Neal: 33 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists
Kobe Bryant: 49 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists
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