Oracle Arena.
Before the game, Shaquille O'Neal, who thought the media storm had settled, wanted to smooth things over. He aimed to resolve the misunderstanding stirred up by the media by extending an olive branch.
In Shaq's mind, if he just reached out, he'd surely get forgiveness from someone he had no deep grudge against. After that, a couple of compliments, and this whole media-fueled drama would become a heartwarming story of a veteran mentoring a rookie. Turning enemies into friends was something Shaq, much like Akagi helping out Sakuragi with a rebound, was always good at throughout his career and even after retirement.
Of course, this excludes those he absolutely had to put down. For instance, right after winning three championships with Kobe, Shaq immediately told the media how unhappy he was about Tim Duncan "stealing" his regular season MVP trophy: "See this trophy in my hand? In the NBA, this is the really important one."
Even many years later, when the NBA decided to use a "bubble" to determine the 2019-2020 NBA champion, Shaq still couldn't help but complain: "I don't support the NBA resuming and deciding the championship in a bubble. A championship like that won't get my approval. It's like San Antonio only has four championship trophies because one of theirs has an asterisk. That asterisked championship doesn't count."
As everyone knows, Duncan's first championship trophy was from the 1998-1999 season, which was a lockout-shortened season. So, when Shaq opposed the bubble concept, it wasn't really about disliking the "bubble championship." It was more about continuing to put down his old rival, Duncan, just like Hanamichi Sakuragi always trying to one-up Rukawa.
However, when Shaq made those comments to mock Duncan, he clearly didn't consider a certain "GOAT's" feelings.
Just like now... since he never considered Zack's feelings, why should Zack accept his overtures?
"I usually only say hello to the opposing team's second-in-command and other players after the game."
On the court, as Shaq walked over to the Warriors' half-court to greet them, Zack bypassed him completely and chatted with Dwyane Wade instead. Zack never liked it when people acknowledged him just out of politeness. Even when LeBron James first tried to be friendly, Zack, who was busy dominating college basketball, didn't pay him any mind. Yep, treating everyone equally was Zack's way of doing things.
At that moment, Shaq, listed by Zack as "the Heat's second-in-command and other players," felt an unexplainable surge of anger. "These young guys are getting ruder and ruder."
On the court, after getting the cold shoulder from Zack, Shaq retreated to his own half-court, clearly indignant. It's no exaggeration to say that for a moment, Shaq genuinely felt like tearing down the entire Oracle Arena, just like Akagi might feel when he sees someone disrespecting the game. But he chose to swallow his anger. Because even if he wanted to retort to Zack, where would he find the courage and confidence right now? In front of the media, he could continue to pretend he was Wade's big brother, but with his average of less than 14 shot attempts per game, how could he claim to be the Heat's main man?
So, no matter how angry he was, Shaq had to hold it in. Remember, the Heat weren't the Lakers. And Pat Riley wasn't Phil Jackson. Even if what Zack said was harsh, the disciplined Riley wouldn't agree to change the Heat's pre-game strategy just to let Shaq blow off some steam.
At center court, after warm-ups, the big screen showed both teams' starting lineups.
Heat: O'Neal, Haslem, Posey, Wade, Williams. Warriors: Zack, Murphy, Artest, Richardson, Davis.
Tonight, the Warriors trotted out a completely different starting lineup than usual. Before the game, Riley frowned and asked, "Are they trying to create more mismatches at the start?"
Riley was right. The Warriors started Murphy tonight precisely to give Zack a chance to go one-on-one against Shaq. At the same time, Zack wanted to personally rip off that phony "best center in the league" mask from Shaq's face.
In fact, from the 2005-2006 season onwards, Shaq, in Zack's eyes, simply didn't deserve to be called the league's best center. He should be called the "flimsiest All-NBA First Team Center" ever. Because historically, in the 2005-2006 season, he only played 59 games for the Heat, averaging a mere "20+9." He completely relied on his past reputation to steal the All-NBA First Team Center honor that should have belonged to Ben Wallace.
Even though many people might think Ben Wallace didn't quite meet the standards for a First Team Center, did Shaq's performance in 2005-2006? In Zack's view, if Yao Ming, who had better individual stats than Shaq and played almost the same number of games, only deserved Third Team Center that season, then the league should have given the First Team Center spot to Ben Wallace, who had a better team record and higher attendance.
During the jump ball, the still-fuming Shaq immediately felt the difference between Zack and Yao Ming. Because Yao Ming wouldn't be as aggressive as Zack during a jump ball.
On the court, it was Warriors' possession. After Baron Davis brought the ball across half-court, the Warriors set up in a 2-3 offensive formation. Then, Murphy quickly moved up to the high post to set a screen for Zack, who came around to receive the ball at the top of the arc.
Seeing this, Shaq instantly yelled "Not good!" in his mind. Because all five of the Warriors' starters tonight could shoot, he naturally expanded his defense from the paint to near the free-throw line.
At the same time, seeing the Heat try to protect Shaq with a zone defense, Zack was even more annoyed. Because who was it, back then, who boldly claimed that zone defense would ruin the NBA? Could it be Shaq himself? In Zack's memory, when the NBA first introduced zone defense, Shaq had criticized it more than once as an utterly stupid rule.
But now... looking at Shaq comfortably hiding under the zone defense protection of the other four Heat players... Zack couldn't feel any hatred for the zone defense rule on his face. In fact, rather than hatred, it seemed Shaq was thoroughly enjoying the protection the zone defense offered him.
But, so what about a zone defense?
On the court, Zack dribbled to the free-throw line. The moment he faked a handoff with Artest, he suddenly turned and accelerated. In that instant, Shaq, who already liked to slack off on defense, couldn't react in time.
The next second... without giving Haslem a chance to rotate over for help defense, Zack drove deep into the Heat's paint, took off, glided through the air for a bit, and then slammed the ball into the hoop with one hand! This gliding dunk instantly ignited the entire arena!
Meanwhile, on the sideline, Mike Dunleavy Jr., noticing Zack's intense energy tonight, boldly guessed, "It seems... he still hasn't moved on from that Christmas Day game."
Hearing this, Brown, who was coming off the bench tonight, curiously asked, "Mike, what do you mean?"
Dunleavy Jr. sighed, "Don't you see? Ever since that Christmas Day game, our Messiah has been holding a lot of anger inside."
Brown mused, "Is it because his good friend could pad his stats during garbage time, and he chose not to?"
Dunleavy Jr. shot Brown a look. "The Messiah probably isn't bothered by the game itself, but by what happened afterward."
Brown was confused. "What happened afterward?"
Dunleavy Jr. explained, "After that game, he was clearly unhappy because he couldn't speak his mind in interviews."
Brown suddenly understood. "No wonder he's been so irritable with me lately."
Dunleavy Jr. nodded. "Although our Messiah never kicks people when they're down after a game, he dislikes being constrained even more. I think that day, due to various reasons, being forced to restrain himself, he felt worse than anyone. Who would have thought that Shaquille O'Neal would just happen to walk into his crosshairs?"
Seeing this, Brown turned his gaze to the court and asked, "Mike, do you think we need to observe a moment of silence for Shaquille O'Neal?"
A moment of silence? Absolutely not. True, because he was in a bad mood, and since January, Zack had been in "energy-saving mode." So, in a way, he really needed a game to let loose.
But... tonight's Shaq absolutely deserved what he got.
On the court, back on offense, it was the Heat's possession. Staring directly at Shaq, who Zack believed didn't deserve Jalen Rose's praise, Zack yelled at his teammates, "Guard 'D-Wade' tightly! Don't worry about anyone else!"
He's angry. At this moment, Shaq was genuinely furious. Because no matter how much he wanted to control himself, he couldn't allow a rookie to provoke him again and again. Even if... everything Zack said tonight was the truth.
Beside him, Wade also noticed Shaq actively moving into the low post. Despite Riley's pre-game instructions for Shaq to move to the high post and set screens for Wade, allowing Wade to use his speed to create defensive chaos in the Warriors' interior, Wade still chose to lob the ball to Shaq.
In the low post, after receiving the ball, Shaq immediately launched his attack on Zack. However, his imagined scene of mountains crumbling didn't happen, because where was his invincible power from back in the day? The Shaq of today was just a "top center" whom Riley had to force onto a treadmill, whipping him to lose weight, even during the regular season.
He was a king who lived in a fantasy, believing he could still move mountains, when in reality he was old and decrepit, needing Wade's countless desperate drives and superstar calls to barely drag him back to his former glory. Yes, historically, wasn't the 2005-2006 NBA Finals a heroic solo effort by Wade, a lone hero saving his team? In that ultimate showdown against the Dallas Mavericks, in Game 2, when Wade fearlessly attacked the Mavericks' defense again and again, what did Shaq, the king, offer in return? Single-digit scoring in a Finals game!
In the paint, facing Shaq's tough post-up, the Warriors didn't even need Zack, their top player, to commit a foul. Because by the time Shaq dragged his increasingly sluggish body to turn around, Murphy had already recovered and successfully dragged him down.
On the court, noticing Shaq glaring angrily at Murphy, Zack stepped forward and stood between Shaq and Murphy, saying, "If you've got the guts, make those free throws. If you miss, you have to admit you're a废物 (wimp)."
Hearing this, looking at Zack, for a moment, Shaq really wanted to punch him. But as the entire Warriors' bench rose, and Artest and Richardson successively stood behind Zack, Shaq instinctively went to the free-throw line.
Clang!Clang!
Then, because he couldn't calm down, Shaq, as expected, missed both free throws. And on the sideline, Riley, who never indulged Shaq in these moments, instantly transformed into a rancher. He brandished his whip and roared at Shaq, "Damn it! Get your ass to the high post for a screen! How many times do I have to tell you, their interior defense efficiency this season is incredibly high!"
Before the game, Riley had meticulously studied the Warriors' game footage from this season. He knew very well that compared to a direct low-post attack, the Heat could only break through the Warriors' defense by having Wade disrupt their interior defense. Moreover, this season, ever since taking over the team midway, Riley had already established Wade's absolute core position. So even the once-mighty Shaq had to play the role of a screen-setting tool for Wade in games.
On the court, hearing this, Shaq's expression immediately turned sour. As a former face of the NBA, when he played for the Lakers, when had Phil Jackson ever made him feel so humiliated? However, Riley didn't care about any of that.
On the court, noticing Shaq's still lazy defensive attitude, Riley continued to roar, "Damn lazy bum! Can't you move at all?!"
Seeing this, Shaq wanted to retort that Riley didn't understand the essence of defense. But the next second, Zack, who had successfully broken the Heat's zone defense with his teammates, drove into the paint and scored with a layup.
At this moment, Shaq was embarrassed. It was precisely his failure to press up in time that allowed Zack to exploit the only gap in the Heat's zone defense. What made Shaq even more uncomfortable was that Zack and Riley seemed to be a natural pair at this moment. After scoring, Zack jabbed at him, "With defense like that, no wonder 'The Dream' could do whatever he wanted back then." And Riley was yelling at him, "Get moving, you damn lazy bum!"
Tonight, Zack would show no respect for Shaq, this aging king who lacked shame and even publicly tried to whitewash things. And besides, wasn't he the one who disrespected Zack first?
On the court, Heat offense. Shaq, dutifully setting a high screen for Wade, tried to roll to the basket. But who would have thought that Zack had already anticipated his path and cut him off? Zack had watched the historical Finals between the Heat and the Mavericks. He knew that even Dampier and Diop could effectively limit Shaq's roll after a screen back then. So if he couldn't even stop Shaq from rolling, what was he even doing playing basketball? What was he doing trying to make a name for himself in the NBA?
This was the 2005-2006 Shaquille O'Neal, stripped of all marketing. Aside from the past glory he constantly talked about and the old stats he'd repeatedly mention to the media... this "top center" had long since lost his luster.
On the court, if the Heat wanted to get things going, it still had to be the "Flash," Dwyane Wade. At Oracle Arena, the moment Wade exploded with speed, even Zack couldn't help but sigh. No wonder Wade was Pat Riley's pick for the Heat's all-time greatest player. Because with his league-best acceleration and transition speed, even if you knew he was going to drive, you absolutely couldn't stop him, much like how virtually no one could stop Sendoh when he decided to go to the basket.
Bang, Swish!
Under the basket, Wade executed a reverse layup, successfully scoring the Heat's first two points of the night.
Back on the other end, Warriors' possession. Facing the Warriors' unsolvable double-interior screen, a fed-up Riley directly turned and called for Alonzo Mourning, "Get that damn lazy bum out of there! What the hell, we're supposed to be playing zone defense tonight, how did the Warriors turn it into man-to-man?"
Hearing this, Mourning, knowing Riley was furious, didn't dare to delay and quickly jogged to the scorer's table. And for Zack... this was utterly disappointing. Because Zack never expected that Shaq, this aging king, couldn't even withstand three possessions against him.
At the top of the arc, seeing Shaq still being passive in defending the screen, Zack simply dribbled back after a screen with Murphy and sent off this "top center" with a three-pointer.
"This is why I say if you didn't have Kobe Bryant, you wouldn't have won a single championship. Because Kobe Bryant is the Michael Jordan of Los Angeles, and you're just a big Scottie Pippen who talks a lot of trash and tries to prove he's strong by putting down other players!"
At that moment, Zack sharply critiqued Shaq, just like Rukawa might offer a cutting remark to Sakuragi. Since Shaq had previously critiqued him, of course, Zack had to critique him back.
However, what was even more disappointing was that this aging king didn't show any fight tonight.
Oracle Arena. After Artest committed a foul... A dead ball, substitution: Mourning in, Shaq out.
Zack noticed that when Shaq was subbed out, his retreating figure could only be described as desolate and lonely. Even after returning to the Heat's bench, he remained silent, as if the world no longer concerned him.
"How boring."
Indeed, it was boring. Because Zack had expected Shaq to at least try to struggle a bit.
On the sideline, after the Heat's substitution, Brown also walked to the sideline, ready to substitute Murphy. And for the rest of the game, Shaq, who was subbed out by Riley after only three possessions, didn't play again.
After that, without Shaq, Wade and Zack put on a shooting clinic at Oracle Arena. Although their positions were different and they didn't guard each other during the game, these two "James brothers" went back and forth, making the game unexpectedly entertaining.
Wade finished the game with 36 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals for the Heat. Zack, meanwhile, had 34 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 blocks.
On the scoreboard, it was 101 to 105. The Warriors won thanks to Ron Artest's game-winning free throws in the final moments.
After the game, in an interview, Riley blamed Shaq's well-known foot injury for his absence in the rest of the game. But the Bay Area media didn't let Shaq, who had previously dared to critique "The Messiah," off the hook: "Shaq's foot injury seems like a switch. Whenever he plays poorly, he presses the button and tells everyone, 'See, I'm not playing badly, I'm just playing hurt,' but as soon as he plays well, his foot injury miraculously heals."
Zack didn't offer any sharp critiques about Shaq's "smart" foot injury after the game, because he had completely lost interest in Shaquille O'Neal. Originally, before entering the league, Zack had even worried that the Warriors would make him play center to guard Shaq. But looking back now... Zack just felt he was too young and naive back then.
This upcoming era no longer belonged to Shaquille O'Neal. The aging king will eventually exit gracefully. If he doesn't want to exit gracefully, then in this rapidly changing new era, there will be plenty of people to help him do so. In the NBA, no one can stay on the throne forever. Even Michael Jordan was criticized for his Wizards' career.
Now, having cleared the frustration from his chest, Zack looked toward the future...
Do not worry that you have no friends on the road ahead; no one in the world does not know you.
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