Posted on 06/06/2004 11:46:32 AM PDT by diamond6
Shaquille O'Neal scanned the reporters crowded around him, located the questioner and glowered.
The question had seemed innocuous enough — "Do you think you'll spend some time chasing Rasheed Wallace around the court?" — but it didn't sit well with O'Neal.
"Chase?" O'Neal said. "No. Not at all."
It was an answer and an affirmation that O'Neal continues to be the centerpiece of the Lakers, despite a drop in his playoff scoring average. The game will come to him in the NBA Finals, not the other way around.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Shaq's ready to rumble! Look out below. Here comes alley oop dunk after alley oop dunk. The Pistons better have three guys foul him at once.
Joey : Wait a minute! I know you. You're Kareem Abdul-Jabar. You played basketball for the Los Angeles Lakers. Murdock : I'm sorry son, but you must have me confused with some- one else. My name is Roger Murdock. I'm the co-pilot.
Joey : You are Kareem! I've seen you play. My dad's got season tickets. Murdock : I think you should go back to your seat now Joey. Right Clarence? Oever : Nahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, he's not bothering anyone, let him stay here. Murdock : But just remember, my name is ROGER MURDOCK. I'm an airline pilot.
Joey : I think you're the greatest, but my dad says you don't work hard enough on defence. And he says that lots of times, you don't even run down court. And that you don't really try . . . except during the playoffs.
Murdock : The hell I don't!! ( grabs joey by collar ) LISTEN KID! I've been hearing that crap ever since I was at UCLA. I'm out there busting my buns every night. Tell your old man to drag Walton and Denier up and down the court for 48 minutes.
That was a classic moment! I loved that scene. By the way it's Lanier.
Yes i know i cut and pasted it from a web site i meant to correct it forgot
Take me off your ping list.
Yawn. Wake me up when the finals are over. It's almost football season here in Texas. That's a real man's sport and it isn't rigged like the NBA.
I'm sorry the season is now irrelevant for you now that your precious Spurs are enjoying their vacation.
Ewwwwww...you soiled my computer by linking to the LA Times. Yuck!
Not a Lakers fan, but I hope the Mailman and GP get their rings. Also, Rasheed Wallace is a ^&@#! jerk, so there's two reasons for me to pull for the Lakers.
Thanks for the ping. Nice article. The young bully grew up nicely. However, I think a lot of people, O'Neal included, are underestimating Detroit. The Pistons are tough, hungry, and feel disrespected. And are extremely talented and balanced. Those are ideal ingredients for an upset.
Was a blowout, fer sure. Shaq's shorts blow out at home, about 12 points. Go Pistons!
The Lakers slept walk throughout the entire game. There's no doubt in my mind they gave away a game, even though it was obvious they could do anything they wanted offensively when they worked the ball around and actually passed instead of dribbling. The Pistons defense against Shaq was atrocious and non-existent. I still say the Lakers in 6. Look for the Lakers to win by at least 10 the next game and 2 out of 3 in Detroit.
You gotta win four. One won't do it.
Amen. It's not over yet - by a long shot.
Rasheed Wallace may be an a-hole, but I've got news for you. Rick Mahorn, Isiah Thomas, Bill Lambier, Dennis Rodman, along with nearly every player on the two championship Pistons teams were also.
By the way, that was one of the funniest scenes in Airplane.
Too bad Leslie Nielson hasn't made a halfway decent comedy in nearly a decade.
Yeah. But the operative word is "yet".
We all know that first game wins on your opponent's turf aren't necessarily indicators of how a series is going to turn out.
I just think that this Pistons team is going to be a lot tougher than the cupcakes L.A. has rolled over in their past few championship seasons.
Just think of Rasheed Wallace as an even bigga' freak n' Dennis Rodman; a bigga' bad-ass than Rick Mahorn; a smoother shooter than any of the big men on the opposing squad, and a general nightmare for Laker fans for the remainder of this series.
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