SHAQUILLE O’Neal was forced to eat his words after a scathing halftime review of the New York Knicks.
The Knicks pulled off a miraculous 20-point comeback on Sunday to get themselves back into contention in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Shaq’s comments about Karl-Anthony Towns aged poorly on live TV[/caption]
Towns helped the Knicks complete a 20-point comeback[/caption]
The Knicks entered halftime down 58-45 against the Indiana Pacers, and Shaq seemingly had no faith in a comeback.
He specifically called out Karl-Anthony Towns’ shooting decisions in the first half.
Shaq said he would be “fighting in the locker room” with Towns if he was his teammate.
“He’s not playing well,” O’Neal said.
“This shot right here. Look at this…”
“What the hell is this?” Charles Barkley replied.
“We’d be fighting in the locker room right now,” Shaq continued.
“We’re down 0-2, and we’re taking 35-footers? Take a couple of dribbles.
“Back the little man down, shoot your jump hook.”
Shaq has been critical of Towns in the past, specifically in the Western Conference Finals last year when he was a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
He told Towns to “get his big a** in the lane instead of taking threes.
However, Towns is one of the best three-point shooting big men in the NBA, connecting on 42 percent of his shots.
He did stray away from his game in the second half, and Shaq was forced to eat his words because of it.
Towns ended the game with a team-leading 24 points with 15 rebounds.
He was one of the biggest reasons the Knicks were able to come back during the game.
2025 NBA Playoff matchups
Western Conference:
First Round:
- No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs
No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies No. 2 Houston Rocketsvs No. 7 Golden State WarriorsNo. 3 Los Angeles Lakersvs No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves- No. 4 Denver Nuggets vs
No. 5 LA Clippers
Western Conference Semifinals:
- No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs
No. 4 Denver Nuggets - No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves vs
No. 7 Golden State Warriors
Western Conference Finals:
- No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves
Eastern Conference:
First Round:
- No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs
No. 8 Miami Heat - No. 2 Boston Celtics vs
No. 7 Orlando Magic - No. 3 New York Knicks vs
No. 6 Detroit Pistons - No. 4 Indiana Pacers vs
No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks
Eastern Conference Semifinals:
No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliersvs No. 4 Indiana PacersNo. 2 Boston Celticsvs No. 3 New York Knicks
Eastern Conference Finals:
- No. 3 New York Knicks vs No. 4 Indiana Pacers
Knicks fans were quick to let Shaq know how poorly his take was aging on social media.
“Has he met kat? Best shooting big man ever,” one fan said.
“Shaq mad KAT can make those and he can’t,” another fan said.
“That comment didn’t age very well,” a third fan said.
“And yet that’s how the Knicks came back Shaq,” a fourth fan said.
