Is there any rivalry more entertaining than the epic banter between NBA icons Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal? Today, the No. 3 seed Milwaukee Bucks battled the No. 6 seed Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. As expected, the rock fight of the first half ended in favor of Milwaukee as Damian Lillard scored 35 points, setting a postseason record.
While Lillard’s achievement is significant, he isn’t the only standout player from the Milwaukee Bucks vs. Indiana Pacers showdown. Interestingly, Milwaukee’s 7’1″ giant also shined bright on the court. But why? With two minutes remaining for the conclusion, the Bucks already had the game locked up.
But this was not enough to stop center Brook Lopez from showcasing his skills on the court. With Milwaukee’s lead of 17, Lopez seized the opportunity behind the three-point line. Without further delay, he drove into the middle of players and dunked the ball over Myles Turner. To share a glimpse of the enthralling showdown, NBA on TNT took it to their official YouTube account and posted highlights with the title, ‘The Fellas React To Dame’s BIG night in Bucks Game 1 Victory Over the Pacers | NBA on TNT.‘
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Lopez’s dunk not only left the audience cheering but also garnered the attention of Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley. Meanwhile, Shaquille O’Neal couldn’t resist himself from teasing Charles Barkley. “Well. What’s it done oh that’s how he’s dunking on you Chuck,” said Shaq. But why did Shaquille O’Neal praise Lopez?
Lopez’ inspiration and valuable guidance: Shaquille O Neal
Though Shaq threw a gauntlet at Charles, he also praised Lopez. Not only because of his dunk but also because the Bucks’ giant looked to Shaq for on-court influence. “I remember Shaq constantly invoking the basketball gods. If you treat the game of basketball right, it’ll treat you okay. It’ll treat you the right way,” said Lopez in a short video uploaded by the Thanalysis show.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
These words of Lopez undoubtedly show that Lopez is significantly inspired by Shaquille O’Neal. He added, “When I got to the league, mentally, I was really hard on myself. I was very, very serious about the game. You know, I’m a goofy guy. It seems kind of counterintuitive, but I had to learn to balance that seriousness and that goofiness a little bit.”
However, Lopez, with the right guidance and approach, has been initiated on the road to success. In the recent match, he accumulated 23 points and 4 rebounds, including the viral dunk. Now, the question is, will he be able to keep up with the expectations in the upcoming matches? Stay tuned to find out!