DETROIT – Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal has recently been at odds with Detroit Pistons fans after making controversial comments about the team.
A couple of days ago, during an appearance on “The Big Podcast,” O’Neal said the Pistons were boring and not worth discussing despite their impressive turnaround from last season, when they managed to muster up a 14-68 record.
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“O’NealStop it; they’re boring,” said O’Neal. “Them [expletives] four games under .500.”
It’s obvious the NBA legend hasn’t been keeping up with the game as the Pistons, during the filming of the podcast, won seven games in a row and were 32-26.
“(32-26) That’s not success,” said O’Neal. “40-20 is success. We talked about it. The Detroit Pistons ain’t winning no [expletive] championship. Stop it.”
The Pistons are 37-29 and are sitting comfortably as the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference.
As of Wednesday night, they’re one game back in the loss column from reaching the No. 4 seed.
Pistons fans took to social media to express their gratitude to the 2004 “Going to Work” team, which five-game-swept O’Neal’s Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals.
O’Neal had a chance to redeem himself during a segment on TNT after the Pistons took down the Washington Wizards 123-103 inside Little Caesars Arena.
He praised All-Star guard Cade Cunningham’s performance, which included 27 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds in the victory.
While talking about Motor Cade during the postgame show, O’Neal said he liked what Pistons’ coach and fellow basketball hall of famer (Mr. Big Shot) Chauncey Billups was doing.
The only thing is Billups is the coach of the Portland Trail Blazers.
“Cade Cunningham is a great player now; he plays at his own pace. Anybody that can consistently play at their own pace and put up numbers is a great player. I like the way he’s playing. I like what Chauncey’s doing. Those guys play hard.”
After being informed by his colleagues that future NBA Coach of the Year award winner J.B. Bickerstaff is the Pistons’ head coach, O’Neal said, “First of all, I don’t watch Detroit. How about that? I messed up. I made a mistake.”
O’Neal could have made an easy mistake or had flashbacks of Mr. Big Shot, Richard (Rip) Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace, and fellow basketball hall of famer (Big) Ben Wallace stopping his team from four-peating in the early 200s.
If the Pistons keep winning and somehow capture the No. 4 seed or higher in the East, O’Neal will have no choice but to respect them.
Look for the Pistons to go for their 38th victory of the season. They’ll play host to the Wizards again at home on Thursday (March 13). Tip-off is at 7 p.m.
