<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>No matter what becomes of the Shaquille O'Neal deal, and though O'Neal has been awful this season, I'm not quite ready to discount his trade to the Suns for its playoff impact. One of the best games of the second half could be right after the All-Star break, on Feb. 20 in Phoenix. It's the last regular-season meeting between the Suns and Lakers . O'Neal should be playing by then, and Kobe Bryant will lead the Lakers into town. O'Neal, who last year labeled Lakers coach Phil Jackson ' Benedict Arnold ,' had to notice Jackson saying last week how Shaq would be used: 'Taking the ball out of bounds and waiting for the other team to get back.' Jackson added this: 'There's diminishing returns for a guy who's 7-foot-1, 300-whatever. When you have multiple problems in your legs - feet, knees, hips - that's the stability that holds up the frame. It's real difficult. He'll get in better shape as the year goes on, but ... ' This is now the NBA's best rivalry. The teams have played tough series in recent playoffs. This season, with the Lakers blowing out the Suns, Jackson called some late timeouts, which prompted usually cool Suns coach Mike D'Antoni to go off and declare the Suns would be whipping the Lakers in the playoffs like they always do. If Lakers center Andrew Bynum can return at anywhere near the level he was playing at, the Suns with Shaq and the Lakers with Kobe and Phil could be a series for the ages. And probably the conference finals.</div> Source: Chicago Tribune
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (o.iatlhawksfan @ Feb 12 2008, 12:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>no such thing these days.</div> Bingo. I actually agree with you this time.
This has to be the best rivalry, no question. Now that you add the Shaq-Kobe situation into it, there is nothing better. Suns-Mavs is very fun to watch, but its not really a rivalry. I am rooting for the Suns though in this one.
This is the best one going, and bringing Shaq into it made it that much better. I hope they play come playoff time, it's going to be great.
