'He was greedy for the buckets' - Penny explains why it was easy for him to play with Shaq in Orlando

By the 1994-1995 season, the duo had established themselves as one of the league's most lethal one-two punches. No. 32 stood out with his relentless dominance in the paint, and No. 1, a floor general with an innate ability to read the game, propelled Orlando to new heights. Their seamless synergy led the Magic to a 57-25 record and their first-ever NBA Finals appearance that season.

Hardaway, the facilitator, and O'Neal, the finisher, complemented each other perfectly. Reflecting on their time together, the four-time All-Star emphasized the importance of their relationship to their collective success.

"Diesel made my life easy, bro, because that dude just understood," Hardaway said. "He was greedy for the buckets. What I mean by that is when he rim ran, I got five or six a game off rim running. He just understood what he really wanted out of the game… I just put that ball in his hands whenever he wanted it."

Dominating the floor

In the 1994-1995 season, the former No. 1 pick led the league in field-goal percentage, shooting an astounding 58.3%. Many of those buckets came directly from Hardaway's assists during fast breaks and half-court sets.

The duo's chemistry was especially evident during the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers. Shaq averaged 27.3 points per game, and his star point guard delivered critical assists in high-pressure moments. This connection wasn't simply about stats—it was about trust.

"That was definitely one of my best teammates ever, because I tried to feed him because I was confident in who I was, confident in my own skin… Every time he wanted the ball, I gave it to him because I was confident that when he got out, he was going to get this basketball and do what he needed to do, and we were going to win," Hardaway said.

Their partnership stood out even in the NBA Finals, where the Magic faced the Houston Rockets. Even though Orlando ultimately fell in a sweep, the duo's combined effort of 53.5 points per game proved they could compete on the biggest stage. Unfortunately, they wouldn't play that long together.