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Shaquille O'Neal was not impressed with the 2024 NBA Finals, to say the least. The Boston Celtics seemed destined to steamroll the competition in the East and then face stiff competition from whichever team emerged from the powerful Western Conference. The Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Indiana Pacers all had at least one injured star, which made the Celtics' path to the finals even easier. It was such a walk in the park for the Boston squad that they never lost more than one game in a 2024 playoff series.
On the other hand, the Dallas Mavericks had to battle their way through the Western Conference in a few tough series and emerged fatigued. The Celtics defeated the Mavericks in one of the least competitive Finals series in recent memory, as the C's emerged victorious after just five games.
This quick, one-sided matchup caused the former LA Lakers star center to call the series "the most boring finals in finals history." Even his cohost on 'The Big Podcast with Shaq,' Adam Lefkoe, had to agree and bluntly stated, "I didn't enjoy it at all, it was bad."
Shaq wanted more drama
The "Big Aristotle," elaborated on why he found it to be boring, "the reason I stated this finals was boring is because when I was a kid there was always a story. It was always some drama. And as a kid when you see those moments you remember those championships." In hindsight, this checks out as most NBA Finals usually have a few exciting storylines that make it feel like something important is at stake or at least have a few close games.
There was no historic rivalry that could make the series more exciting, nor any known beefs between the players, and, most importantly, the games themselves weren't thrilling. The four-time NBA champion went on to issue a challenge to the Jayson Tatum led Celtics, "if you want to impress me, if you want to separate yourself as the best…beat those teams when they are healthy." Perhaps they'll have a chance to impress the Big Diesel next year.
Perhaps Shaq took it personally
As most hoops fans know, the three-time Finals MVP won all four of his championships with the LA Lakers. The Celtics and Lakers have a longstanding and fierce rivalry spanning decades, and up until last year, they were tied as the franchises with the most championships at 17. After the 2024 NBA Finals they regained the title as the team with the most championships in league history.
Despite having played for the Celtics in his final year in the league, the big man who made his bones in the City of Angels confessed that this may have something to do with his bitterness about Boston's run to the championship. "I'm happy for Jaylen, I'm happy for Tatum, I'm happy for Boston but now I'm unhappy cause I didn't know they were so close in championships and now they're leading."
Understandably, the former MVP is disappointed to see the Celtics lift the trophy for the 18th time this past June. As they surpassed his beloved LA Lakers in the NBA's most coveted and ultimate barometer, the total number of championships for a franchise. Since the New Jersey native is partially responsible for nearly a quarter of the Lakers championship titles, he's highly invested in the legacy of the storied team. Who knows, with their combination of veteran talent and incoming rookies, perhaps they could soon tie the Boston Celtics.
More must-reads:
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Lakers reportedly monitoring two-time All-Star's availability
The Los Angeles Lakers finished last season with a dud after propelling to the third seed of the Western Conference, losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs. The one thing that the Wolves exposed was the Lakers' lack of an inside presence. The center spot was weak once they traded Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic midway through the season, but they found a way to manage despite putrid numbers coming from the center position. The Lakers were bottom five in both rebounds and points per game for centers during the regular season after the All-Star break. However, in the postseason, the numbers got worse. They tried to use their original starting center, Jaxson Hayes, to man the paint, but he only played 7.8 minutes per game while only scoring 1.8 points and grabbing two rebounds per contest. This team knows it needs extreme levels of help for the center spot, which is why it is reportedly looking at a former All-Star center's situation. Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints reported that the Lakers are closely monitoring the situation between Nikola Vucevic and the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls have shipped out several key players over the last year, with Vucevic being the lone former All-Star still on the roster. As his trade market winds down, some have speculated that a potential buyout is on the horizon. However, Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson reported on "The Fastbreak" podcast that the Bulls have no intentions of a buyout and would like to move him for assets at the trade deadline. Vucevic would be a massive upgrade alongside Deandre Ayton, whom the Lakers signed earlier in the offseason. Vucevic put up very impressive numbers last season, averaging 18.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game while shooting 53% from the field in 73 games. His career numbers are just as impressive, and he's a former two-time All-Star as well. The Lakers should continue to monitor Vucevic and assess the Bulls' ultimate plan for him. With Ayton already in the fold, a trade for Vucevic could put them at the top of the Western Conference.
Aaron Boone Makes Feelings on Marcus Stroman Clear After Release From Yankees
The New York Yankees revamped their bullpen on Thursday, acquiring relievers Camilo Doval, David Bednar, and Jake Bird ahead of the 6 p.m. Trade Deadline. However, that spelled the end of Marcus Stroman's tenure with the team. With fellow pitchers Luis Gil (lat), Fernando Cruz (oblique), Mark Leiter Jr. (fibula), and Ryan Yarbrough (oblique) all on their way to returning, New York needed to clear a roster spot. The club cut Stroman on Friday, who has a 6.23 ERA over nine appearances this season. Yankees manager Aaron Boone gave his thoughts about Stroman before the team's bout with the Miami Marlins, via MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. "The [public] perception around Stro, for us, did not meet the guy we got to be around for the last couple years," he said. "He's an awesome competitor. ... I feel like he's a guy I'll stay in touch with for the rest of our lives." Stroman signed a two-year deal with the Yankees in January 2024 after spending two seasons with the Chicago Cubs. The right-hander was 10-9 with a 4.31 ERA in 30 appearances last season. The Toronto Blue Jays selected Stroman No. 22 overall in the 2012 MLB Draft. The former Duke Blue Devil stayed with Toronto until 2019, when it dealt him to the New York Mets at the Trade Deadline. He then signed a two-year deal with the Cubs in December 2021. Stroman is a two-time All-Star and was the 2017 World Baseball Classic MVP.
Erik Karlsson's Trade Demands to the Penguins Release Publicly
Erik Karlsson is one of a few Penguins likely on the move soon, and now the one thing the veteran blue liner wants in a new team has been officially revealed. After missing the Stanley cup Playoffs for three straight seasons, the Pittsburgh Penguins come into this off-season as sellers, with the trio of Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust and Erik Karlsson becoming notable names in trade speculation. While all three have a high likelihood of being moved as Kyle Dubas and the Penguins look towards the future, NHL Insider Frank Seravalli has suggested this off-season that Karlsson is the most likely of all to be moved in the summer. Now, Seravalli has followed up on the speculation, revealing another key piece of this scenario, as the veteran NHL Insider notes the one demand that Karlsson has in potential trade talks. According to Seravalli, Karlsson wants a chance to win, and given the contract that a team would potentially need to take on to bring him in, it's safe to say that only contending teams out there would be interested, with very little in it for teams that won't be chasing a Stanley Cup in the near future. As of right now, there are very few teams around the NHL that could fit Karlsson in as well as giving him the opportunity to win, with Detroit, Dallas and Carolina three teams that fit the bill, with all three having rumoured interest in an upgrade on their blue line. Ultimately, all the signs this off-season point to Karlsson being moved at some point before the 2025/26 campaign begins, and while the options are limited given his contract and his desire to win, there's no reason why a trade can't be made in the next few months.
‘Concerns’ Emerging for Matt LaFleur, Packers Coaching Staff
Matt LaFleur and the Packers coaching staff remain one of the most respected across the NFL, but some are beginning to wonder if this group is capable of bringing a Lombardi back to Green Bay. While the Packers made the postseason in each of quarterback Jordan Love’s first two seasons as the starter, Green Bay regressed last fall and there are some significant questions at cornerback, pass rush, and along the offensive line as the 2025 season nears. If Green Bay makes big strides this season, and Love makes a leap, it could turn out to be one of LaFleur’s most impressive coaching jobs to date in his career. Is it Time to Worry About Matt LaFleur, Packers Coaching Staff? There’s real optimism about Jordan Love taking the next step and the Packers making noise in the NFC North, but not everything in Green Bay is trending in the right direction — especially on the coaching side. ESPN’s Ben Solak sees some red flags developing if 2025 plays out similarly to 2024. “Two key coaching points give me pause in Green Bay,” Solak writes of LaFleur and staff, for ESPN. “It ended the season dead last in defensive success rate against dropbacks but second in EPA per dropback faced. How? Tons of interceptions. The Packers ripped off 17 picks, tied for third most in football, and recovered 14 fumbles. They finished third in defensive EPA on takeaways (behind Denver and Buffalo), and though I don’t think their defense was poorly coached by any stretch, it probably punched above its weight last season. “The second is Green Bay’s performance against elite teams. It ended the season 1-5 in its division (beating only Chicago on a game-ending field goal block) and lost to the Eagles twice, including in the playoffs. The best defensive coordinators — Vic Fangio, Brian Flores and Aaron Glenn — were able to flummox Love and expose that opportunistic defense. Green Bay’s staff never found a solution as the season went on.” If the Packers are going to take that next step, LaFleur and his coordinators will need to prove they can scheme consistently — not just rely on turnovers or hot streaks. Defensive volatility and an offense that falters against elite play-callers isn’t a recipe for sustainable success. Follow Matt Lombardo on Threads at @MattLombardoNFL. To read more of our articles and in-depth NFL coverage, click here.
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