HoopsHype.com Rumors

Ever since Shaquille O'Neal joined its panel, Inside the NBA has loved showing the 1999 clip of Charles Barkley throwing a ball at Shaq's head and the scuffle that ensued. On Thursday night, no less an authority than Mike Tyson weighed in on the clip. The former heavyweight champion was not very complimentary of the pair's fighting style. Then, for some apparent reason, he threatened to kick Barkley in a prominent part of his backside. "Don't fight if that's not what you do" is good advice for anyone. USA Today

Shaquille O'Neal, Media, Charles Barkley, Mike Tyson 

But now, the Dallas Mavericks owner has no one on the Lakers to exchange friendly barbs with. “I miss Shaq and Phil Jackson, I really do,’’ Cuban said before Tuesday’s Mavs-Lakers game at the Staples Center. “The days of having the Bucket Boy, that was kind of special. “Shaq telling me I got lucky and me telling Shaq I love how he planned to grow seven foot tall. Those were true ring battles that were fun. Hopefully someone will pick on me and I can fight back.’’ Asked if he’s afraid to pick a fight with Laker superstar guard Kobe Bryant, Cuban said: “The day I’m afraid of Kobe is the day I unlace them.’’ Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Shaquille O'Neal, Mark Cuban 

TNT's "Inside the NBA" crew has produced some memorable moments, from the Barkley vs. Bavetta race to the "Shirt Off" showdown between Sir Charles and Shaq. Are you ready for Shaq vs. Jason Whitlock in a boxing ring? O'Neal challenged FOXSports.com's columnist to face him in the ring after Whitlock tweeted that the former NBA big man, now working as an in-studio analyst, "is opening the season out of shape, as usual." FOXSports.com

Shaquille O'Neal, Media 

So yes, the seat Brown occupies on the Lakers sideline is red-hot and growing warmer by the day. "There's a ton of pressure on Mike Brown," said Charles Barkley, a TNT analyst. "The Lakers have to win now." Shaquille O'Neal, also a TNT analyst, agreed. "There is a ton of pressure to win in L.A." O'Neal said. "Now." All part of the job description, according to Brown. "I don't know if you guys expected to win last year but I did," Brown joked the other day at practice. "So for me it's no different. My expectations this year are the same as they were last year." Los Angeles Daily News

Los Angeles Lakers, Shaquille O'Neal, Coaching, Mike Brown, Charles Barkley 

TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal voiced their skepticism of the Lakers' Princeton offense Tuesday, with Barkley saying in a conference call, "I've always said I want my accountants from Princeton, not my offense." A day later, Magic Johnson and Jeff Van Gundy, of ESPN/ABC, were more evenhanded. "I think they're going to combine the Princeton offense with the Santa Clara offense, with the Lower Merion offense," Van Gundy said. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Shaquille O'Neal, Coaching, Media, Mike Brown, Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson, Jeff Van Gundy 

Shaquille O'Neal: 6 days left who's your finals pick u kno I wanna c dat heat vs lakers finals, I read a article today, the celtics say they ready for da heat Twitter @SHAQ

Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Shaquille O'Neal 

Shaquille O’Neal has always starved for attention. Even when he was in his prime, he acted and rapped and said outrageous things as if people would not pay attention to the 7-foot, 300+pound monster who dominated basketball in a way that few players in history could dream of. Now that he’s retired, he has turned to television work (He’s doing his best to ruin Inside the NBA) and apparently some sort of “comedy network.” This video is titled, “Shaq Smashes Dwight Howard in Vicious Rap.” Right. The funniest part of the verse is that he claims lets his rings do the talking. Get it? Because I don’t think Shaq does. The Big Lead

Shaquille O'Neal 

Former Chicago Bulls forward Horace Grant said facing 7-foot-1, 325-pound Shaquille O'Neal on the basketball court would be preferable to the years-long legal struggle he has waged to collect $1.46 million that securities arbitrators say a brokerage owes him. “I would rather play against a guy like Shaq any day than to chase something that is mine that was taken,” Grant told Reuters last week. Lawyers for brokerage Morgan Keegan & Co had just argued in a California appeals court that Grant's award for losses tied to a group of troubled bond funds should be overturned. Chicago Tribune

Shaquille O'Neal, Horace Grant 

When you played with Shaq and he was endorsing Li-Ning, how aware of Li-Ning were you at that point in 2006? Dwyane Wade: I wasn't aware at all. That was kind of the first eye opener into the Li-Ning brand. I wasn't aware at all, and I just knew that it was a China- based company. I knew that Shaq, a lot of times, he was known to do stuff outside of the box. I think I probably became more aware [of the brand] probably in 2008 more so than in 2006 when I played with Shaq. We were at the Beijing Olympics and Mr. Li Ning was the one that ended up flying over the “Bird's Nest” and ended up lighting the torch. They kind of blew up in 2008 and that moment really made the name known. From afar, I knew of them since then, and I would say at the same time, Peak as well was kind of coming up and doing different things in basketball. That was really a moment in the last four or five years where these other brands had made an impact on NBA players. It opened our eyes to more than we're used to growing up. Sole Collector

Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O'Neal, Sneakers 

At 6-foot-11 and 235 pounds, he should have an easier adjustment than his predecessors. The position no longer has bruisers such as Shaquille O'Neal, Patrick Ewing or David Robinson. With the exception of Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum, Bosh will face competitors who are mostly glorified power forwards. Bosh said the move is "over analyzed" because the evolution at center. "The game was different back then," he said. "The game changes every now and then. At that point, it was all about girth. You have to be big, Anthony Mason and Charles Oakley and Patrick Ewing and Vlade Divac. It's different now. The game is a lot faster. If you're big, we're going to run right by you. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Miami Heat, Chris Bosh, Andrew Bynum, Shaquille O'Neal, Dwight Howard, Patrick Ewing, Vlade Divac, David Robinson, Charles Oakley 

Howard then pointed out what he perceived as O'Neal being a hypocrite. "He hated the fact when he played that the older guys were talking about him and how he played and now he's doing the exact same thing," Howard said. "Just let it go. There's no sense for him to be talking trash to me. He did his thing in the league. He's one of the most dominant players to ever play the game. Just sit back and relax. You did your thing. Your time is up. So, I don't really care. I don't really care. He can say whatever he wants to say." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Shaquille O'Neal, Dwight Howard 

Bryant was going nowhere near any of that controversy on Tuesday. Well, sort of. "That's Shaq's job to make a point," Bryant said of O'Neal, who works as an analyst for TNT now. "Dwight is going to be one of the greatest centers of all time. To not say anything but that is laughable. "Shaq has three Finals MVPs and championships, but Dwight does have three Defensive Player of the Year awards. That's something Shaq was never able to accomplish. "I think there's a lot to be said for Dwight and where he's at so early in his career. He's got a lot of room to go. His numbers are going to be way up there one day for sure." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Dwight Howard 

Kobe Bryant refused to touch a reporter's question late Sunday night about Shaquille O'Neal's critical comments about new Lakers center Dwight Howard, but at least he was pleasant about it. A smiling Bryant said simply: "My primary concern is the big fella here (Howard). I think he's going to do just fine for his legacy with the Lakers." Los Angeles Daily News

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Dwight Howard 

The former Los Angeles Lakers coach didn't exactly pick sides in the recent dust-up between centers Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard, but said "there is a lot to what (O'Neal) says" when he characterized Howard as a "pick-and-roll" player with a more limited offensive game than more traditional back-to-the- basket centers Andrew Bynum and Brook Lopez. Jackson described Howard as a better all-around player and complemented him on the improvements he's made to his offensive game in recent years, but noted Howard is still "learning the post game." "Brook and Andrew are guys who have good touches. They're good scoring players and they have good offensive games," Jackson said on the "Waddle and Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000 in Chicago on Friday. "Dwight is a guy that has that amazing athletic ability but the overall game -- rebounding, defending, blocking shots, running the court -- this is a guy that runs with the wolves, so to speak. He can get up and down that court as quick as any of the guards and forwards because of his athletic ability. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Andrew Bynum, Phil Jackson, Shaquille O'Neal, Dwight Howard, Brook Lopez 

That continued Friday when Jackson chimed in on the war of words between Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard. He didn't deliver any jabs, but a day after O'Neal suggested Philadelphia's Andrew Bynum and New Jersey's Brook Lopez are the best centers in the NBA, Jackson argued Howard has a more well- rounded game. "Brooks and Andrew are guys who have good touches," Jackson told an ESPN radio station in Chicago. "They're good scoring players and they have good offensive games. Shaq has a lot to what he says that way. "Dwight is a guy who has amazing athletic ability, but overall, game, rebounding, defending, blocking shots, running the court, this is the guy who runs with the wolves so to speak. He can get up and down that court as quick as any of the guards and forwards because of his athletic ability. Both Brook Lopez and Andrew Bynum are more plodders as players. They have trouble in their transition game in both directions. This is a big difference in the play of those guys." Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, Andrew Bynum, Phil Jackson, Shaquille O'Neal, Dwight Howard 

Darius Johnson-Odom: From what I saw today I 100% disagree with those comments from the diesel lol Twitter @KingMe_DJ1

Los Angeles Lakers, Shaquille O'Neal, Darius Johnson-Odom 

Chandler also took issue with Shaquille O’Neal, who on TNT named the NBA’s two best centers as Brook Lopez and Andrew Bynum. Dwight Howard wasn’t the only one slighted. Chandler, reigning Defensive Player of the Year, called Shaq’s rankings “comical.’’ “I was watching SportsCenter this morning, eating breakfast in the team lounge, and was laughing at the whole thing,’’ Chandler said. “I honestly think it’s comical. I don’t care about rankings. “That’s one individual’s point of view. I know where I’m at. I know what my value is. And I know I have to continue to get better.’’ New York Post

New York Knicks, Shaquille O'Neal, Tyson Chandler 

Howard was not thrilled with O'Neal's assertion that Philadelphia's Andrew Bynum and New Jersey's Brook Lopez were better centers. "I don't care what Shaq says," Howard said flatly after Lakers practice Thursday. "Shaq played the game and he is done. It's time to move on. He hated the fact when he played that older guys were talking about him and how he played. Now he's doing the exact same thing. Just let it go. There's no sense for him to be talking trash to me. He did his thing in the league. Sit back and relax. Your time is up." Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Shaquille O'Neal, Dwight Howard 

Dave McMenamin: Dwight on Shaq's recent critcism: "I don't care what Shaq says. Shaq played the game. He's done. He's gone. It's time to move on." Twitter @mcten

Los Angeles Lakers, Shaquille O'Neal, Dwight Howard 

O'Neal thinks the Knicks' stars, Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire, need to take things "more personally" to succeed against the defending NBA champion Miami Heat. "I think when Carmelo plays against LeBron (James) and (Dwyane Wade), he should take it personally, like he's always talked about last (among the three). When Amare plays against (Chris) Bosh, he should take it personally," O'Neal said. "That's what I always used to do. I played against guys, I used to take it personally that you're not talking about me. "They need to do that. In order to beat Miami, they've got to." ESPN.com

Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Amare Stoudemire, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Shaquille O'Neal