The NBA postseason just got intense as only one spot is left in the West semi-final clash. The Dallas Mavericks and LA Clippers are all set to battle it out in Game 6. While the Mavs have the 3-2 upper hand, Paul George dropped a terrible statement ahead of the do-or-die game. In response, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal ripped the 34-year-old apart on live TV and made a stinging reminder of his $176 million responsibility.

During the post-game analysis show of the Inside Guys, the show featured PG-13’s latest statement ahead of Game 6. The Clippers star said, “If you fail, you fail. Live with the results.” Disappointed with the remark, Shaq immediately denied the analogy and took a harsh dig at George as he countered, “No, I ain’t going with that. If you fail, you can’t fail… If you play hard and play with a lot of effort, that’s not a failure. You play hard, you go out there and get 15 points when you are 2-15, nah, I ain’t living with that.”

Shaq didn’t stop at that; he further went on to draw parallels from his career. The Big Man noted, “That’s not failure; that’s worse than failure. That’s not stepping when you are the superstar of the team… Gotta compete; I have lost a lot.” Charles Barkley also pitched in, backing Shaq’s counter. “I have never quit on one of my teams. I have lost and lost and lost, but I ain’t never quit,” Chuck said.

Despite sharing opinions on Paul George‘s statement, Shaquille O’Neal wasn’t done yet. He further reminded the star forward of his responsibility. Diesel said, “When you’re that guy, you get all the money, get all the praise, you’re expected to step up.” Currently, George is in the last year of his 4-year contract with the Clippers and will enter free agency in the off-season. The NBA world has already predicted the star’s future team with the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers, considering their huge salary cap space.

Will Paul George step up in Game 6?

If not for yes or no, Paul George has no other option other than stepping up. With the series on the line and Kawhi Leonard out with an injury, PG-13 definitely needs to play second fiddle to James Harden. In the ongoing series, the star has averaged 19.8 points with a high score of 33 points in Game 4. However, he also had two underwhelming nights shooting the ball. In the last game, he scored 15 points with a 4-13 FG.

On the other hand, Russell Westbrook barely has any impact on the team offensively. In the five games, he has averaged 6.4 points with an 11-43 FG. While the Clippers struggle to find the right players, the Mavs have a threatening lineup assembled. Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic have entirely dominated the series with their consistency. Luka has averaged 30.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game in this series while dealing with a knee injury.

At the same time, Kyrie Irving has been playing the perfect second fiddle, scoring an average of 25.8 points per game. Along with this consistency, he has also received praise from LeBron James for his insane ball-handling skills. Following an impressive layup in Game 5, James took to his X handle and wrote, “OMG KYRIE!!!!!!!! That was INSANE.” 

Who do you think will win Game 6? Let us know in the comments below.