Shaquille O’Neal Doesn’t See Lakers As A Contender Due To Austin Reaves’ Intentional Missed FT Vs Denver

Shaquille O'Neal(L) and Austin Reaves(R)

The Crypto.com Arena witnessed a thriller on Saturday night as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Denver Nuggets. A dramatic finish to regulation saw Austin Reaves hit a clutch shot to force overtime, setting the stage for the Lakers to seal the win. Shaquille O’Neal, however, wasn’t a fan of what happened.

Lakers were down by two points, and there was just under two seconds left. Reaves had one free throw remaining, and instead of burying it and planning what to do next, he intentionally missed it, grabbed the rebound himself, and scored two to tie the game and go to OT.

As far as O’Neal was concerned, however, that ending to regulation and the Lakers ultimately winning by only two points, proved that they just weren’t good enough to be labeled contenders.

“If you have to rely on that you’re not going to win and not being a contender,” the Lakers legend said on ESPN, post-game. “I’m used to playing for coaches who wouldn’t be happy with that game.” 

O’Neal also argued that the Lakers should have won by 15 while playing at home. In an ideal world, that is exactly what every purple and gold supporter would hope for. But is that realistic every single night?

The NBA is a grueling league. One game can produce a dominant victory, only for the next to turn into a scrappy, hard fought battle. Against the Nuggets, the Lakers experienced the latter. And considering the quality of their opponents, grinding out a win was still a strong result. Had this happened against the Wizards, Nets, Kings, or any other side had given up and were focusing on taking, O’Neal’s point may have been valid.

Reaves and the rest of the Lakers won’t care too much about how they win as long as they do win. When the time comes in the playoffs, if Reaves pulls something off like this, he’d be celebrated as a hero. Maybe O’Neal will give the man his flowers then.

Post Edited By: Samir Mehdi
Denver Nuggets Los Angeles Lakers Shaquille O'Neal

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Somin Bhattacharjee

Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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