WATCH: Shaquille O’Neal Destroys Los Angeles Clippers With a Career-high 61/23 Game on His 28th Birthday

Akash Murty | 07/03/2023
WATCH: Shaquille O’Neal Destroys Los Angeles Clippers With a Career-high 61/23 Game on His 28th Birthday

LeBron James might have multiple terrific games on his birthday but a former Los Angeles Lakers legend still indisputably has the best birthday performance of all time, and it’s none other than Shaquille O’Neal.

One of the NBA’s most dominant players of all time didn’t just win his first championship at the turn of the century, he also achieved his career-high, that too, on the night of his 28 years ago.

Also read: Myles O’Neal Brings Back Dad, Shaquille O’Neal’s “Ridiculously Large and Ugly Size 22 Feet on a Private Jet” Video on His 51st Birthday 

When Shaquille O’Neal put up 61 points and 23 rebounds on his birthday

23 years ago, when the now 51-year-old turned 28, he had his career-best game as a return gift for his fans to remember forever. Playing against the Clippers, The Big Aristotle was pissed at the LA team for denying him some tickets he wanted for his friends and family.

It was a road game for the Lakers at Staples Center, as the Clips share the home court with the Purple and Gold. Shaq made sure he made them pay the best way he could, putting up 61 points and getting 23 boards in a 123-103 beating.

That year, and the following two to come, were his and the Lakers’ years.

Also read: “Shaquille O’Neal, After That Divorce, You Still Got a Little House!”: Charles Barkley Once Made a Below the Belt Comment About Shaunie

2000—the year O’Neal put the Los Angeles Lakers back on top

After Magic Johnson’s abrupt retirement from the game of basketball in 1991 following his HIV diagnosis, the Lakers franchise went downhill. But they rose from the ashes soon. In 1996, they signed Shaquille O’Neal to the biggest contract ever, and also traded for a 17-year-old Kobe Bryant.

It took just 3 years for that duo to become arguably the greatest duo of all time and lead the Lakers to 3 consecutive championships from 2000 to 2002. O’Neal swept the Finals MVP awards in all those championships and established himself as the best player in the league at the time.

Also read: “Old man”: Shaquille O’Neal’s Son Shareef Teases Father On Instagram on 51st Birthday

 

Post Edited By: Akash Murty
LA Lakers Shaquille O'Neal

About the author

Akash Murty

An Electrical and Electronics Engineer by degree, Akash Murty is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. Previously a Software Engineer, Murty couldn’t keep himself away from sports, and his knack for writing and putting his opinion forward brought him to the TSR. A big Soccer enthusiast, his interest in basketball developed late, as he got access to a hoop for the first time at 17. Following this, he started watching basketball at the 2012 Olympics, which transitioned to NBA, and he became a fan of the game as he watched LeBron James dominate the league. Him being an avid learner of the game and ritually following the league for around a decade, he now writes articles ranging from throwbacks, and live game reports, to gossip. LA Lakers are his favourite basketball team, while Chelsea has his heart in football. He also likes travelling, reading fiction, and sometimes cooking.

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